Defender of Whom?

by Alex Beech

Since we’re discussing human rights…. This morning, Venezuela’s Ombudsman, “The Defender of the People”, dismissed a report released last Friday by human rights organization, Provea. In its annual report, the NGO expressed concern that political discrimination against the opposition is still prevalent in Venezuela.

Ombudsman Germán Mundaraín claimed that the report is unreliable because it used indirect sources, whatever that means. He said: “I respect it, but I understand that it’s a report based on perception, and not on a direct source.” He added that the report “contradicts what Venezuelans think, because recently, last December 3rd, elections in Venezuela took place, and 63% of Venezuelans identify with President Chavez.”

Excuse me, but what about the other 37%? Doesn’t the report refer to discrimination against them?

Provea’s report states that “political discrimination persists as a policy of the State. Attendance is required at official events, and a tendency to criminilize protests has risen…to think differently than the official “belief” or to be critical of the government’s performance has turned into a reason for labor dismissal, a reason to deny certain public benefits, or a reason to be disqualified.”

For fun, let's remember "Ombudsman" means: “a government official who hears and investigates complaints by private citizens against other officials or government agencies.”

As always, Ombudsman Mundarain cooks oil with eggs; he has an uncanny knack of defending the government against private citizens.

But the MUNDARAISMO that takes the cake was this statement: "The ironies of life, the divine ironies, what an irony, that Pinochet dies on the International Day of Human Rights. Pinochet is the symbol of the denial of human rights in America...it's like a divine joke or an irony made by God, before the inefficiency of the Judicial power, before the inefficiency of justice."

Trust me, there are many ironies at play here. Mundarain fails to mention that Pinochet's looming death was announced the day Chavez was re-elected. Or that Castro may have also died. If God is playing a joke on us, no one seems to be laughing...

Tags: mundarain, human rights