Venezuela

Rafael Uzcátegui

During this past April, the 2008 Report on the global transfer of weapons was presented by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent organization founded in 1966 to investigate the problems of peace and global conflicts, placing emphasis on limiting arms build-up and promoting disarmament. SIPRI has become a resource for the global pacifist movement.

En un período de apenas 10 años, comprendidos entre 1998 y 2007, Venezuela subió del lugar 56 al puesto 24 en el ranking mundial de mayores compradores de armamento convencional. Estos datos fueron recientemente difundidos por el Instituto Internacional de Estudios para la Paz de Estocolmo (SIPRI), cuya base de datos acerca de la transferencia de armas en el planeta se ha convertido en una referencia para monitorear los procesos de militarización global.

Statement by Latin American antimilitarists

We don't need another war. We, conscientious objectors and antimilitarists from Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and all Latin America and the Caribbean, united, emphatically refuse a military escalation leading to a war that, once more, will try to divide us. With hunger, corruption, extreme militarism, shameless military spending, civil insecurity, the continual assault on human rights by our governments, we already have enough without being given another armed conflict.

The Supreme Court of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela decided on 20 February on the constitutionality of pre-military education in Venezuelan schools. Students of the last two years of higher education have to participate in pre--military education as part of the curriculum, based on Article 71 of the Military Service Law (Ley de conscripción y alistamiento militar). The Venezuelan human rights organisation PROVEA brought a case to the Supreme Court, which was first decided in June 2005.

Parallel to the official Caracas "policentric" World Social Forum, sponsored by the Chavez government, the national oil company PDVSA and even the Caracas Hilton hotel, an Alternative Social Forum took place, organised by anarchist and anti-authoritarian groups in Venezuela, and without subsidies, without compromises with power. Most participants probably saw it less as a counter-event, but as a welcome addition to the official social forum, and many particpated in both -- including War Resisters' International.

CCPR/CO/71/VEN
26 April 2001

(...)

26. The Committee notes that there is no provision in Venezuelan law for conscientious objection to military service, which is legitimate pursuant to article 18 of the Covenant.

The State party should see to it that individuals required to perform military service can plead conscientious objection and perform alternative service without discrimination.

(...)

Source: http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/CCPR.CO.71.VEN.En?Opendocument