“RESUELVE: Respaldar plenamente la institucionalidad democrática y constitucional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, cuyo gobierno preside Hugo Chávez Frías, y rechazar categóricamente cualquier intento de golpe de estado o alteración del orden constitucional venezolano que afecte gravemente el orden democrático.”

- la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA)

“RESOLVED: To fully back the democratic and constitutional legitimacy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, whose government is led by Hugo Chávez Frías, and to reject, categorically, any coup attempt or alteration of constitutional order that seriously affects democratic rule.”

- the Organization of American States (OAS)



12:21 a.m. ET, December 17, 2002:

One hour and some minutes ago, the Organization of American States (OAS), for the first time in the organization’s history, rejected a major United States initiative.

The OAS backed, by a vote of 32-0 – with two countries not counted – a resolution to support the continuance of the democratically elected government of Hugo Chávez of Venezuela.

This unprecedented result of a fierce, tense, and extended, debate marks an historic turning point for our América.

The nations of the Western Hemisphere rejected, once and for all, any attempt at coup d’etat, in Venezuela or elsewhere. Washington’s spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down was language backing OAS secretary general Cesar Gaviria to “find a way to channel positive energies” on Venezuela.

In a veiled message of “no confidence” for its own secretary general’s pro-coup efforts in Caracas over the past 15 days, the Organization of American States equally called upon the Carter Center and the United Nations to promote dialogue in Venezuela, but not to permit any coup attempt nor pretension of interrupting democracy; not even by the OAS’s own representative.

We repeat: 32 American nations tonight, after an unprecedented Authentic Debate among the members of the Organization of American states, rejected destabilizing proposals by Washington to impose its policies on another American country: Venezuela.

The foreign ministries of Mexico and Peru – who had, 48 hours ago, been willing patsies for Washington in this historic debate - stuck their fingers in the air, and saw which way the wind was blowing. And by voting with the majority they kept the door open for their membership in the New American Union that will gain traction in 2003.

December 16, 2002: The day the empire died.

At press time, we still don’t know which States were the two that did not vote, or perhaps were not present, for the resolution supported by 32 of 34 American countries that have just turned América right-side-up again. We’ll find out and get back to you on that.

But we can’t help but add: The end of imposition has profound consequences for the pro-narco drug policy imposed by Washington on other nations.

Narco News wishes all our readers, correspondents, sources, professors, students, and allies, a New Year that sneaks up on the old one.

Oh my, it already has.