Gustavo Coronel
Hace
10 días envié una carta a la FAO, la organización de las Naciones
Unidas que se ocupa de la Alimentación y la Agricultura. La envié a la
oficina de la FAO en Washington DC y, luego, directamente a las oficinas
centrales de las FAO en Roma. En ninguno de los dos casos he obtenido
respuesta alguna, a pesar de que mi nombre, dirección y teléfono figuran
en la carta y ella trata de algo que compromete seriamente el buen
nombre de la organización. Uno pensaría que la burocracia de las
Naciones Unidas debería estar atenta a responder sobre asuntos que
enlodan su reputación.
La
carta que transcribo abajo tiene que ver con la actitud rastrera del
representante de las FAO en Venezuela, Sr. Marcelo Resende, quien elogia
sistemáticamente al gobierno de Venezuela por lo que él llama el mejor
sistema de distribución de alimentos de América Latina y del mundo,
cuando la realidad venezolana en este campo es de una trágica situación
de crisis, humillante para los ciudadanos y llena de corrupción. La
prensa lo cita así: “Marcelo Resende, delegado de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO), felicitó al gobierno venezolano por crear “el mejor sistema popular de distribución de alimentos”. Resende manifestó en una reunión con el ministro de Alimentación Rodolfo Marco Torres: “Felicito al pueblo de Venezuela y su gobierno por crear la mejor red pública para distribuir alimentos y también los felicito por lograr una activa participación y organización social de todo su pueblo”. Y, en Inglés: “Caracas,
April 14 (PL) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognized
Venezuela for its results in the fight against hunger, said the vice
president of Food Security and Sovereignty, Carlos Osorio. The
Venezuelan Government concentrated numerous efforts to eradicate
hunger, poverty and ensure food sovereignty, he said. For its part, the
FAO representative in Venezuela, Marcelo Resende, called this nation as
an example of public policies in this regard and highlighted the various
actions aimed at strengthening the agricultural sector and food
production.
Hunger in this country is not a problem and this is due largely to political commitment in recent years, he added.
Resende also highlighted the creation of
public networks such as Food Markets (Mercal), the Producer and
Distributor of Venezuelan Food (Pdval) and Abastos Bicentenario, among
others, which guarantee access to basic products.
Digo
en mi carta que el Sr. Resende tiene demasiado tiempo en Venezuela y se
ha convertido prácticamente en un miembro más del equipo gubernamental
de uno de los gobiernos más corruptos e ineficientes que haya tenido
jamás el país.
La
FAO, desde sus lujosas oficinas en Roma o en Washington DC no se han
dignado en responderme. No soy yo quien pierde, sino su reputación. Esta
es una organización mundial, dedicada a mejorar la situación del hambre
en el mundo, no debería esconder actitudes irregulares. Desde mi rincón
de Virginia siento el mal olor de la organización y seguiré insistiendo
en mis preguntas, para que den cuenta a la opinión pública de Venezuela
y del mundo sobre sus actuaciones en Venezuela, donde se han convertido
en colaboradores de un régimen despreciable. Esta es mi carta:
March 13, 2016
Food and Agriculture Organization,
Washington DC Liaison Office
2121 K St NW #800b, Washington, DC 20037
Luego enviada directamente a FAO-HQ@fao.org
Dear Sirs:
I
hope you will convey this letter to its appropriate recipient, since I
am not sure which office should be the one to consider its contents.
My
name is Gustavo Coronel. I am a Venezuelan citizen, now living in
Virginia, USA. I am not an expert in your field, just an observer of the
current Venezuelan reality in the food and agricultural sector. As you
probably know the availability of food and the situation of the
agricultural sector in Venezuela has become critical, to the point that
the Venezuelan National Assembly has declared a state of emergency to
exist in these areas. Due to the disastrous policies generated by the
government that has been in place for the last 17 years, Venezuela, in
spite of the highest oil income in history, has become a country where
markets lack all essential foodstuff and where the Venezuelan people
have to stand in line for hours to obtain the most meager food items,
just barely enough for day to day subsistence. The country depends
heavily on food imports, largely controlled by government agencies. This
has generated significant corruption since tons of food, grossly
over-billed, have been imported already in rotten conditions and have
been found abandoned and hidden. These imports are mostly done through
mafias made up of government bureaucrats and its friends. The cases are
numerous and I am sure you will be able to find them in the Venezuelan
and international press, see just one example: http://www.maduradas.com/lo-que-vtv-no-cuenta-hallan-45-toneladas-de-comida-podrida-en-camiones-de-pdval-en-falcon/
In
parallel with this tragic situation your organization maintains a
representative in Venezuela, Mr. Marcelo Resende, at least since 2013,
who has become a prominent supporter of the Venezuelan government
policies related to food availability and distribution. His laudatory
comments have been abundant and defy the reality which is evident to the
eyes of anyone living in Venezuela today. Last year, in April 2015, he
publicly declared (my translation):
“Venezuela
is an example of good public policies to combat hunger, not only in our
region but in the whole world. FAO recognizes these efforts. He added: “Venezuela
is one of the countries with the largest public food distributing
network: Mercal, Mercalito, PDVAL, Bicentenario and FAO can see this and
congratulates the Venezuelan people. You can always count with FAO’s
support”. And went on to say (abbreviated): “In name of
the United Nations I want to congratulate you. Here we have a vivid
example of how communes and government are winning food security and
sovereignty”.
Coming
at a time in which Venezuelan suffer a tragic food crisis and when
corruption in those governments institutions mentioned by Mr. Resende
are very well documented, these expressions of support by FAO’s Caracas
representative have been considered by Venezuelans as extremely
cynical. In fact, PDVAL and Bicentenario bureaucrats have been found to
be involved in massive corruption, see:http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/160130/presos-presidentes-de-abastos-bicentenario-y-cval-por-hechos-de-corrup
By
coincidence, in those same days of 2015, the Venezuelan government had
transferred $12 million to the FAO’s Caracas office to finance a program
to “eradicate hunger”.
In
the last few days, March 2016, Mr. Resende has, again, made extremely
laudatory comments about the Venezuelan food disaster. He has said,
see: http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20944 : My translation: “I
congratulate the people and government of Venezuela for the existence
of the best public food distribution network and for structuring an
active social participation and organization [in this sector].
Mr.
Marcelo Resende has probably been in Venezuela too long and has been
clearly co-opted by the Venezuelan regime to become one of its most
ardent supporters. His pro-government bias is not only unjustified but
cruel, in light of the Venezuelan reality. I, as a Venezuelan citizen,
protest against this unprofessional posture by the FAO Caracas office
representative. I think this deserves an investigation by FAO’s highest
authorities since the name of the organization is being invoked to
support what is, in fact, a major tragedy.
I am at your service in case you need further information,
Sincerely,
Gustavo Coronel
Gustavo Coronel
8360 Greensboro drive #710
McLean, Virginia 22102
703-2567470
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