Las Organizaciones Venezuela Awareness e IVAC (Independent Venezuelan American Citizens) unen esfuerzos e iniciativas para crear las bases de lucha para una Venezuela democrática, donde los valores y derechos fundamentales de la persona humana sean respetados.

Los últimos acontecimientos en Venezuela muestran a un país totalitarista, con todos sus poderes secuestrados y en total control del Presidente Hugo Chávez, quien además, se niega a colaborar efectivamente contra el terrorismo y narcotráfico internacional, estableciendo una peligrosa alianza política con Fidel Castro.

Es por eso que apoyamos la iniciativa de la Congresista Ileana Ross Lehtinen, quien como miembro del Comité de Relaciones Internacionales del Congreso Nacional, ha sido muy frontal e incansable luchadora y defensora de los derechos humanos y de la democracia.

Agradecemos la acogida que le ha dado la Congresista a nuestras inquietudes y denuncias presentadas recientemente, que generó como resultado la carta dirigida al Presidente Bush y a la Secretaria de Estado, Sra. Condoleezza Rice, que hoy se hace pública.

Asimismo, queremos agradecer a los representantes y staff de la Congresista Ross Lehtinen, tanto en las oficinas de Washington como en las de Miami, por la receptividad y el esfuerzo que han puesto en el seguimiento y la búsqueda de soluciones a tan graves problemas en que se encuentra inmersa Venezuela.

Confiamos plenamente en que la carta enviada al Presidente y a la Secretaria de Estado conduzcan a la activación de mecanismos que eviten la desestabilización política, económica, social y militar, no solo de Venezuela sino de toda la región.

Mayo 16, 2005

IVAC/www.ivac.org

Venezuela Awareness/ www.venezuelaawareness.com

Venezuela Awareness and IVAC (Independent Venezuelan-American Citizens), both non-profit Florida corporations, are working jointly to fight for Venezuela's democratic future.

The organizations denounce Chavez's regime as a totalitarian government that has violated the fundamental democratic and human rights of its citizens and persecuted relentlessly all freedom of expression.

President Chavez and his cabinet members refuse to collaborate with international authorities in aiding the fight against terrorism and international drug trafficking. Instead, the Venezuelan government has established a dangerous political and commercial alliance with Cuba's Communist Fidel Castro, expelled United States military officers from Venezuela, purchased military weapons and gear to outfit his army, and is exporting his totalitarian model to neighboring democracies by funding their anti-democratic opponents thereby threatening the stability of our hemisphere.

We support and applaud the efforts of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, member of the Committee on International Relations, member of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, and widely regarded as an international defender of human rights and democracy, has taken our plight by hearing our alarming concerns.

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen took the initiative to write our President, George W. Bush, and our Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, on our behalf and presented us with her letters at our meeting on May 5, 2005.

Our organizations sincerely thank our Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her time and dedication to our cause.

Mayo 16, 2005

IVAC/www.ivac.org

Venezuela Awareness/ www.venezuelaawareness.com