CARACAS, Tuesday March 24, 2009 | Update
Politics
The Venezuelan government harshly criticized on Tuesday the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), claiming that ever since the failed coup d’état to overthrow President Hugo Chávez on April 2002 the body has been "biased."
The Venezuelan delegate to the IACHR, Germán Saltrón, blasted Santiago Cantón, the executive secretary of the commission.
The accusations were made in a hearing requested by Venezuela in the 134th session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, EFE reported.
Saltrón, a Venezuelan foreign ministry official who deals with international human-rights organizations, highlighted the appointment of Venezuelan Luz Patricia Mejía, as the new interim Chair of the Inter-American Commission. According to Saltrón, Mejía "will help end the biased and selective attitude of the Commission since 2002."
02:57 PM. HEAVY RAINS. Venezuelan Executive Vice-President Elias Jaua reported that the government is designing plans to support farmers, cattlemen and peasants of the state of Mérida who have been hit by heavy rains that have caused crop losses.