Regarding the situation in Venezuela
El CLACSO Working Group on Critical Geographical Thought in Latin America and the Caribbean expresses its solidarity with the Venezuelan people, who on July 28th turned out en masse to exercise their right to elect the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, demonstrating their commitment to self-determination and the future of the nation.
From our Working Group, we are closely monitoring the electoral process. We strongly urge the Venezuelan electoral authorities to expedite the process and publicly release the data broken down by polling station, ensuring transparency and building trust. Critical geography, as a discipline that analyzes the dynamics of power and territory, compels us to highlight the importance of the geographical distribution of votes and how this reflects the diverse social and economic realities of the country.
Controversies surrounding the electoral process must be resolved through institutional channels. The fundamental principle of popular sovereignty must be respected through the impartial verification of results, and this can only be achieved through transparency and a commitment to the truth.
We call upon all political and social actors to exercise maximum caution and restraint in their demonstrations and public events, in order to avoid an escalation of violent episodes that endanger the integrity and lives of citizens.
Social peace and the protection of human lives must be the top priorities at this time. In this regard, it is essential to remember that the social component is fundamental to resolving any irregularities and conflicts that may arise. The active and organized participation of civil society is key to building a constructive dialogue that allows us to overcome differences and move toward a more just and equitable country.
We reiterate our absolute respect for the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people and our willingness to support efforts toward dialogue and agreements that benefit all Venezuelans. As geographers, we understand that territory is more than a physical space; it is a social, political, and cultural space where rights and democracy are built and contested.
We urge all academics, students, and civil society organizations to continue actively participating in building a country where justice, peace, and equity are fundamental pillars. At this historic moment, our responsibility as professionals and citizens is to contribute to a more democratic and just Venezuela.
The GT Critical Geographical Thinking of Latin America and the Caribbean expresses its solidarity with the people
Venezuelan, who appeared in mass on July 28 to exercise his right to elect the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, demonstrating his commitment to self-determination and the future of the nation.
From our GT, we are accompanying the electoral process with great attention. We emphatically ask the Venezuelan electoral authorities to move forward quickly and make public the data discriminated by electoral section, guaranteeing transparency and trust in the process. Critical geography, as a discipline that analyzes the dynamics of power and territory, forces us to highlight the importance of geographical distribution and how it reflects the diverse social and economic realities of the country.
Disputes over the electoral process must be resolved through institutional channels. The fundamental principle of popular sovereignty must be respected by means of impartial verification of results, and can only be achieved by means of transparency and commitment to truth. We ask all political and social actors to exercise maximum caution and moderation in their demonstrations and public events, in order to avoid an escalation of violent episodes that put at risk the integrity of the lives of our cities.
Social peace and the protection of human lives must be priority concerns at this time. In this sense, it is essential to highlight that the social component is the basis for the resolution of irregularities and conflicts that may arise. The active and organized participation of civil society is essential for the construction of a constructive dialogue to overcome differences and advance in the direction of a more just and equitable country.
We reiterate our absolute respect for the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people and our willingness to support the efforts of dialogue and search for agreements that benefit all Venezuelans. As geographers, we understand that territory is more than a physical space; It is a social, political and cultural space where the challenges of democracy are constructed and contested.
We ask all academics, students and civil society organizations to continue actively participating in the construction of a country in which justice, peace and equity are fundamental pillars. In this historical moment, our responsibility as professionals and citizens is to contribute to a more democratic and fair Venezuela.
August 5th, 2024
CLACSO Working Group
CLACSO Working Group on Latin American and Caribbean Critical Geographical Thought
This statement expresses the position of the Working Group Latin American and Caribbean critical geographical thought and not necessarily that of the centers and institutions that make up the CLACSO international network, its Steering Committee or its Executive Secretariat.
