Dear Sir
On behalf of the Saint Lucia – Venezuela Solidarity and Integrationist Movement (SLVSIM) let me express our organization’s pleasure with the personal intervention of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, in the matter concerning the detention of two Guyanese vessels, Lady Nayera and Sea Wolf, and their crew.
Among several other entities, SLVSIM and the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration (CMPI) had written to the Venezuelan authorities requesting the release of the two Guyanese crews and their vessels. By his personal intervention with the Venezuelan maritime and legal authorities, president Maduro secured the early release of the Guyanese contingents. Relations with Venezuela have not always been as cordial as various regional actors would like, due to historical circumstances not attributable to today’s leaders, but several hemispheric and non-hemispheric entities are known to have agendas aimed at the constant undermining of Venezuela’s efforts to engage the rest of the region in programmes of mutual benefit.
SLVSIM’s philosophy is to encourage positive mutual engagement between Venezuela and Saint Lucia. SLVSIM also actively repudiates all Western imperialistic activities aimed at the undermining of the legitimately elected leadership of the Bolivarian government of Venezuela. SLVSIM is aware that the government of president Maduro, like his predecessor Hugo Chávez, aims to manage and preserve Venezuela’s abundant natural resources for the benefit of the people of Venezuela; at the same time, SLVSIM is also aware that the main interest of Western imperialism in Venezuela, is to usurp those resources, for the benefit of multinational corporations and their greedy political lackeys in the Western Hemisphere, depriving the people of Venezuela of their God-given patrimony.
During both the John Compton and Kenny Anthony eras in Saint Lucia, Venezuela and Saint Lucia enjoyed fruitful relations. In 1990, during one of the administrative terms of president Carlos Andrez Pérez, prime minister John Compton paid a State visit to Venezuela. Later, during a Hugo Chávez administrative term, the Alianza Bolivariana (Bolivarian Alliance – the brainchild of president Hugo Chávez) brought unprecedented benefits to Saint Lucia and to Venezuelan-Caribbean relations. With the advent of the Allen Chastanet administration in Saint Lucia, Venezuela-Saint Lucia cooperation took a nosedive. Prime minister Chastanet dragged Saint Lucia into the membership of the notorious Lima Group, without even the courtesy of the discussion of such an important matter by the parliament of Saint Lucia.
As we reiterate our gratitude to president Maduro in this matter, SLVSIM avails itself of this opportunity to convey to the government and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, assurances of our highest consideration and esteem.
Fraternally,
Comrade Peter Lansiquot
President, SLVSIM, Friend of Venezuela
