The President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, on April 21, issued a strong condemnation of the racist and misogynistic attacks directed against Acting President Delcy Rodríguez from Spain.
He specifically highlighted what he described as the hypocrisy of the Vox and Popular parties in promoting such attacks and employing derogatory language, underscoring the severity of the incidents that have sparked outrage within Venezuela.
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Speaking from the Venezuelan capital, Rodríguez explicitly stated that spokespersons for the Spanish ultraright-wing had launched vitriolic attacks against the Acting President.
These misogynistic actions, he asserted, were not spontaneous but were actively sponsored and funded by the Popular Party and the ultraright-wing political organization Vox, indicating a calculated campaign of aggression rather than isolated incidents.
Text reads: “In Bolívar City we confirm that we are afroamerican, native people and a wonderful mix of all cultures. May this pilgrimage serve to eradicate hatred forever. We Venezuelans do not know about racism, we are all called to national reconciliation.“
The head of the Venezuelan Assembly underscored the profound gravity of the situation, declaring that “racism is a disease of the spirit, and it is unacceptable; and it is even more unacceptable to seek excuses to try to justify such barbarity.” He made a poignant allusion to emotional justifications that he likened to narratives propagated by nazism, emphasizing the dangerous precedent set by rationalizing such hateful behavior and highlighting the need for firm moral opposition.
Jorge Rodríguez had previously addressed this sensitive issue on Monday, affirming that extremism aims to dehumanize Venezuelans by labeling them with racist epithets. “We must eradicate any discourse of hatred”, he firmly stated, while also recalling that Venezuelan culture is fundamentally characterized by principles of solidarity and human dignity. These core values, he emphasized, stand in stark contrast to the narratives that seek to fabricate a non-existent internal conflict within the nation, thus reinforcing the true spirit of the Venezuelan people.
The incident that sparked this widespread condemnation occurred on April 19 in Madrid. Just hours before the commemoration of the proclamation that initiated Venezuela’s first step towards independence from the Spanish Crown, the offensive chant “Get out, monkey!”)” (“¡Fuera la mona!”, in Spanish) was heard. This deeply insulting and racist epithet was specifically directed against Delcy Rodríguez, the Acting President of Venezuela, in office since U.S. forces kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro last January.
The severity of the incident was further exacerbated by the alleged inaction and even encouragement from the stage by singer Carlos Baute, who had been hired for the event, drawing criticism for his perceived complicity in the hateful outburst.
The Venezuelan Parliament’s robust response underscores the nation’s firm stance against racism and xenophobia, particularly when directed against its leaders and citizens on the international stage. The call for eradicating hate speech resonates not only within Venezuela but also globally, advocating for respect and dignity in public discourse. The actions of Spanish ultraright parties, as described by Rodríguez, fuel concerns about the spread of extremist ideologies and their impact on international relations, necessitating a united front against all forms of discrimination.
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
