December 12, 2002 The Honorable George W. Bush President,
The White House,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President George W. Bush, In light of the increasing political tension in Venezuela, and recognizing that part of the opposition leadership is determined to remove President Hugo Chavez by any means necessary, we, the undersigned organizations and individuals, call upon you to state unequivocally that the United States government opposes any attempt to remove the democratically elected government of Venezuela by a military coup or other unconstitutional means. Furthermore, the White House should affirm that the United States would not have normal diplomatic relations with a coup-installed government. We believe that the silence of the White House since the military coup of April 11, which the administration appeared to endorse, is widely interpreted as support for further coup attempts. We are concerned that this perception reduces the incentive for opposition leaders and the Chavez government to pursue dialogue or peaceful solution to the current crisis. We are also concerned that, while senior officials at the White House have maintained their silence, Otto Reich, currently the State Department's special envoy to the Western Hemisphere, recently singled out the Venezuelan government for criticism, stating that "an election is not sufficient to call a country a democracy." This was an unusual departure from diplomatic protocol, and in light of the April coup, has made Venezuelan government officials even more suspicious of Washington's motives. The role of the United States government in the coup of April 11 remains unclear. We know that top US officials met with leaders of the coup in the months before it happened. Opposition groups that were involved in the coup also received funding from the United States government. At the same time, the Bush Administration openly expressed its hostility to the government of President Chavez. According to the State Department Office of the Inspector General, one of the reasons for this friction was President Chavez's "involvement in the affairs of the Venezuelan oil company and the potential impact of that on oil prices." Furthermore, the State Department's Office of the Inspector General, after looking into the role of US officials before and after the April coup, concluded that US warnings against the coup "may not have gone far enough. Among the many accounts of such warnings, few went beyond the standard, ritualistic 'no undemocratic or unconstitutional change' formulation. Warnings of non-recognition of a coup-installed government, economic sanctions, and other concrete punitive actions were few and far between. This, too, has been recognized and lamented in retrospect by some senior U.S. officials." The State Department's OIG report further noted that "the very fact that the United States regularly and repeatedly met with those interested in ousting the Chavez government and heard them out may in and of itself have been seen as lending support to their efforts, notwithstanding our ritualistic denunciations of undemocratic and unconstitutional means." In light of these circumstances, the current White House silence on its opposition to a military coup or any other possible unconstitutional overthrow of Venezuela's democratically elected government is seen throughout Venezuela and elsewhere as support for such illegal actions. Opposition leaders who are determined to overthrow the government have little incentive to pursue dialogue or a peaceful solution, if they believe that the United States government will support them no matter what they do. The U.S. government should demonstrate its ongoing and active support for democratically elected governments. Only a strong statement of condemnation from the White House explaining that the U.S. opposes violent and unconstitutional actions, will not tolerate a coup government and will impose sanctions upon any coup-installed government, will send the right democratic message to Venezuelan political actors as well as other governments in Latin America. We therefore call upon the White House to make its position clear, before Venezuela slides closer to the brink of civil war. Sincerely, MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich;
Rep. John Conyers, Jr.;
Rep. Jose E. Serrano;
Rep. Barney Frank;
Rep. Major R. Owens;
Rep. Bernard Sanders;
Rep. Fortney Pete Stark;
Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky;
Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey;
Rep. Barbara Lee;
Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey;
Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones;
Rep. John Lewis;
Rep. Danny K. Davis;
Rep. Sherrod Brown;
Rep. Chaka Fattah;
ORGANIZATIONS: 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice, Soren Ambrose, Policy Analyst;
Alliance for Justice: Medical Mission Sisters, Bend-Condega Friendship Project, Tim Jeffries, Coordinator, The Catholic Migrant Ministry, William E. Daggitt, President, Center of Concern, James Hug, SJ, President;
The Committee for Inter-American Human Rights, Laura Furst, National Organizer;
Center for Economic and Policy Research, Mark Weisbrot and Dean Baker Co-Directors;
Center for Economic Justice, Neil Watkins, National Coordinator;
Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance, Martha Pierce, Director;
Church of the Brethren General Board, David Radcliff, Director, Brethren Witness;
Colombia Human Rights Committee, Barbara Gerlach and Cristina Espinel, Co-Chairs;
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), Cherrene Horazuk, Executive Director; Interhemispheric Resource Center (IRC), George Kourous, Director, Americas Program, IRC;
Fellowship of Reconciliation Task Force on Latin America and the, Caribbean, Philip McManus, Chair; Food First/The Institute for Food and Development Policy, Peter Rosset, Co-Director;
Franciscan Washington Office for Latin America, Fr. David A. Moczulski, OFM, Executive Director; Global Exchange;
The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA, Max Gimbel, Coordinator;
Latin Ameirca/Caribbean Committee of the Loretto Community, Annemary Vogelweid;
Marin Interfaith Task Force on Central America, Susan Severin, President;
Maryknoll Center for Global Concern, Marie Dennis, Director;
Office Of Peace and Justice of Congregation of Sisters of Divine, Providence of Kentucky, Catherine M. Holtkamp, CDP;
Nicaragua Center for Community Action, Diana Bohn, Co-Coordinator;
Nicaragua Network, Katherine Hoyt, National Co-Coordinator;
Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA), Sarah C. Aird, Executive Director;
The Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, Olympia, Washington, Branden Wilson;
Pax Christi Michigan, Joan Tirak, Coordinator; Pax Christi USA, Dave Robinson, National Coordinator; Quixote Center/Quest for Peace, Rev. William Callahan, Co-Director;
School of the Americas Watch, Staff-Collective; Sisters of the Holy Cross, Congregation Justice Committee of Notre, Dame, Indiana, Ann Oestreich IHM, Coordinator;
Toledo Area Committee on Central America (TACCA), Toledo, OH, Chester Chambers;
United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Rev. David A. Vargas, Executive for Latin America and the Caribbean;
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society, Mark Harrison, Program Director;
Voices on the Border, Wes Callender, Director;
The Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua (WCCN), Carlos Arenas, Executive Director;
INDIVIDUALS: (Organizations listed for affiliation purposes only) Elaine Abels, Omaha, NE;
Paula Dodd Aiello, San Ramon, CA;
Michael Albert, Z/Net/Z Magazine;
Martha Alderson, Kirkwood, Missouri;
Laura Anderson, RSCJ, Religious of the Sacred Heart, Saint Louis, MO;
Jennifer Angyal, Gibsonville, NC;
Kay George Arnold, Pax Christi, Austin, Texas;
Rev. James E. Atwood, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship;
Bernice Babin, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Mary E. Bathum and Steve H. Nathe, Maryknoll Lay Missioners, Madison, WI;
Wendy Bauers Northup, Glen Allen, VA;
Steven Bennett, Executive Director, Witness for Peace;
Martha Benson, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Maurita Bernet, Phoenix, AZ;
Gina Bianchi, Organizer, Milwaukee Jobs with Justice; Larry Birns, Director, Council on Hemispheric Affairs; Gem Bordages, Galveston, TX;
Philip Brady, Maryknoll Missionaries working in Venezuela;
Mary Ann Buckley, Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Washington, DC;
Patrick Buckley, Denver, CO;
Martha Bushnell, Ph.D., Boulder, CO;
Barbara Carey, RSCJ, Bethesda, MD;
Judy Carle, RSM, President, Sisters of Mercy, Regional Community of Burlingame, CA;
Helen Carpenter, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Mary and Bill Carry, Sylvan Lake Michigan;
Lynne Cartwright, Portland, OR;
Jim Casey, Pax Christi, San José, CA;
Terry Casey, San José, CA;
James Chaney, Denver, OH;
Julie A. Charlip, Associate Professor of History, Whitman College;
Lydia Cho, The Society of Sacred Heart, El Cerrito, CA;
Noam Chomsky, Professor, Department of Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;
Dr. D.K. & F.L. Cinquemani, Largo, FL;
Mallory Clarke, Seattle, Washington;
Catherine Collins, RSCJ, Religious of the Sacred Heart, Washington, DC;
Marie Combo, Kansas City, KS;
MaryJo Commerford, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Brian Concannon Jr., Esq., Boston, MA;
Rev. James Conn, Urban Strategy Los Angeles Area, United Methodist Church;
Gary L. Cozette, Director, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN);
Darlene Cuccinello, Tampa, Fl;
Helen Cullen, Nerinx, KY;
Sharon Culp, Pax Christi, Fremont, CA; Sheila Croke, Greenlawn, NY, Mimi Darragh, McDonald, PA;
Barb Dawson, The Society of Sacred Heart, El Cerrito, CA;
Veronica De Los Rios, Miami, Florida;
Maria Dias, Fremont, CA;
Sheila K. Dixon, Dallas, TX;
Geraldine Doiron, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Linda Donovan, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Maureen Dorney-O'Connell, Coordinator, Pax Christi Florida;
Alexandra Durbin, Needham, Massachusetts;
Ellen Dunn, Georgetown, TX;
Ben Dwyer, Naples, FL;
John P. Dwyer, Naples, FL;
Karen N. Dwyer, Ph.D., Naples, FL;
Kelly Epstein, Spring, TX;
Rose Evans, San Francisco, CA;
Liza Featherstone, New York, NY;
Rosanne Fischer, St. Cloud, Minnesota;
Liz Fisher, The Society of Sacred Heart, El Cerrito, CA;
Rev. James E. Flynn, St. Lawrence Church, Heber City, UT;
Sister Celine Foy, PBVM, Fargo, ND;
Carol Gaudin, New Iberia LA;
John Gallini, Pax Christi, Richmond, VA;
Irma García Rose, LCSW, Rome, GA;
Tina Geiger, RSM Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Institute Justice Office;
S. Rita Clare Gerardot, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN;
Katherine Gilfeather, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Ruth Goldboss, Highland Park, IL;
Eileen Gilles and Deacon William Gilles, Glastonbury, CT;
Claire Goodall, Sun City, AZ;
Kathleen Gribble, Appleton, WI;
David W. Green, MD, Cambridge, MA;
Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Detroit;
Anne Grady, Natick, Massachusetts;
Joan Hart, SSND, Baltimore, MD;
Anne Hablas, Jacksboro, TN;
Lisa Hirsch, Pax Christi USA, Askim, Sweden;
Rev. Msgr. J. Patrick Keleher, Director, Newman Centers at the University Buffalo, Buffalo, NY;
Nancy Koke, RSCJ, Chicago, IL;
Joyce Hall, Coordinator, Pax Christi Dallas;
Maggie Han, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Roseann Hanley, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Elizabeth Hillmann, Gainesville, FL;
Sister Joan Hopkins, San Francisco, CA;
Lynn Houston, Chairperson, Maryknoll Affiliates Global Concerns Committee;
Marilee Howard, RSM, Institute Justice Office, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas;
Sister Dorothy Hucksoll, Owens Hall, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN, Jean Hunter, RSCJ, Rye Brook, N.Y.;
Katherine Hutter, Washington, DC;
Adam Isacson, Senior Associate, Demilitarization Program, Center for International Policy;
Jessica Jenkins, Stanford University, California;
Steve Johnson, Ely, MN;
Rev. Stephen Judd, MM, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Bolivia;
Sister Evelyn Kane, Religious of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT;
Nancy Kane, San Diego, CA;
Joan Kirby, Religious of the Sacred Heart;
Naomi Klein, author, Toronto, Canada;
David Kuehn, Ann Arbor, MI;
Henry R. Lambert, Vermont Local Roads Program, Saint Michael's College, Colchester, VT;
Fran Levin, Arnold, MD;
Eric M. LeCompte, National Council Chair, Pax Christi USA;
Maureen Little, RSCJ, St, Aloysius School in Harlem, New York;
Lucia Livingston, Yellow Springs, Ohio Peace Group;
Joe Loney, Maryknoll lay missioner, Bolivia;
Carol Lutz, Pax Christi, Greenwich, CT;
Mary B. Lyman, RSCJ, Newton Centre, MA;
Nancy MacLeod, Oakland, CA;
Eleanor Maclellan, Chestnut Hill, MA;
Faith Marilynn Madzar, Natick Peace Council, Natick, MA;
Constance A.Mancuso, Waltham, MA;
Michael J. Marciano, Pax Christi USA, Albuquerque, NM;
Charles Martin, Rockport, IN;
Lelia Mattingly, Ossining, NY;
Sister Susan Maxwell, Chicago, IL;
Clare McBrien, Wytheville, Virginia;
Mark J. McCabe, Philadelphia, PA;
Julia McCarthy, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
S. Pat McCarthy, Rockford, IL;
Elizabeth McDermott, N. Tonawanda, NY;
Clairvaux McFarland, OSF, Assisi Heights Cottage, Rochester, MN;
Rene McGraw, O.S.B., St. John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, MN;
Marie McHugh and Helen McHugh, Society of the Sacred Heart, San Diego, CA;
Ben McKean, National Organizer, United Students Against Sweatshops;
Dr. Megan McKenna, Pax Christi Ambassador for Peace;
Mary Helene Mele, Bellingham, WA;
Kathleen McNeely, Program Associate, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns;
Stephanie Mertens, ASC, Coordinator Justice and Peace Office, Adorers of the Blood of Christ, Red Bud, IL;
Ernesto E. Migoya, Houston, Texas, Kathleen R, Mitchell, Portland, OR, Mary Munton, Richmond, VA;
Pamela Nordhof, Maryknoll Affiliate, Hamilton, MI;
Wendy Bauers Northup, Glen Allen, VA;
Sister Karen Nykiel, O.S.B., State Coordinator, Pax Christi Illinois, Lisle, IL;
Annette O'Connor, Maryknoll Affiliate, Albuquerque, NM;
Mary F. O'Driscoll, Presentation Sisters,, San Antonio, TX;
Catherine O'Neil, Pax Christi USA of Hendersonville, NC;
Brent Otto, Framingham, MA;
Christian Parenti, Visiting Fellow, CUNY Graduate Center;
Mary Beth Patout, New Iberia, Louisiana;
Jack Payden-Travers, Lynchburg, VA;
Noella Poinsette, St. Bonaventure, NY;
Robert Pollin, PhD, Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA;
Rev. Chris Ponnet and Patricia Krommer C.S.J., Co-directors, Pax Christi, Los Angeles;
Constance Pospisil, Maryknoll Sister, Brazil;
Clare Pratt, RSCJ, Superior General, Society of the Sacred Heart;
Barbara Quinn, Religious of the Sacred Heart, San Diego, CA;
Glenn Rabut, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Shamim Rajpar, Altoona, PA;
Steve Rall, Lansing, MI;
Jaon Ratermann, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Peter Ree, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Barbara E. Reid, O.P., Professor of New Testament Studies, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL;
Ellie Richardson, Erie, PA;
Patricia Ring, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Richard R. Rivard, Pax Christi, Revere, MA;
Diane Roche, Religious of the Sacred Heart, St. Louis, Missouri;
David Rodriguez, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Jenaro Rodriguez, Hastings, PA;
George William Rose, PhD, Rome, GA;
Michelle Rose, Cary, NC;
Fred Rosen, North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA);
Robert J.S. Ross, PhD, Professor of Sociology, Director, International Studies Stream, Clark University;
Rodger Routh, Ankeny, Iowa;
Phil Runkel, Waukesha, WI;
Erich Rutten, St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN;
Cecelia Santois, Maryknoll Sisterrs Community, Chile;
Bob Schwartz, Executive Director, Disarm Education Fund;
Suzanne Scott, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Sara Schomp, Sebastopol, CA;
Ryan Shiffer, Wheaton, IL;
Ray and Barbara Shiffer, Oneida, WI;
Roselyn Schmitt, Saint Joseph, MN;
Renate Schneider, Maryknoll Affiliate;
Michael Schreiner, Pax Christi, St. Louis, MO;
Mike Sersch, Winona Catholic Worker, Winona, MN;
Susan Severin, RSM, Institute Justice Office, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas;
Rev. John Sivalon, MM, Superior General, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers;
Dr. George J. Sorger, Professor of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario;
Frances M. Stainton, Los Altos, CA;
John Stanton, Arlington, Virginia;
Lisa Sullivan, Maryknoll missionary, Barquisimeto, Venezuela;
Mary Ann Surges, Denver, CO;
Rev. Bernard A. Survl, Hinsdale, NY;
Mary Swain, Sisters of Loretto, Nerinx, KY;
Walter Tillow, New York, NY;
Joan L Tirak, Coordinator, Pax Christi, Michigan;
Rev. Frederick L Thelen, Pastor, Cristo Rey Church, Lansing, MI;
Sara Kay Thompson, Houston, Texas;
Frances Tobin, RSCJ, San Diego, CA;
Jim Toczynski, East Lansing, MI;
Sister Marianna Torrano, RSCJ, Religious of the Sacred Heart, San Jacinto, CA;
Mary Turgi, CSC, Director, Holy Cross International Justice Office;
Sister Mary John Vanderloop, OSM, Ladysmith, Wisconsin;
Joe and Beth Vogler, Weaverville, NC;
Sister Deanna Rose Von Bargen, RSCJ, Lewiston, Idaho;
Anita von Wellsheim, RSCJ, Albany, NY;
Joseph J. Walker, East Grand Rapids, MI;
Dennis B. Warner, Falls Church, VA;
S. Jeannine Weidner, Rockford, IL;
Geri Braden-Whartenby, Co-Coordinator, Pax Christi, New Jersey;
Thomas Windberg, Spicewood, TX;
Nancy Wittwer, SL, St. Louis, MO;
Jan J. Wnek, Pax Christi, USA;
June Zaccone, PhD., Economics, New York, NY;
Dozthor Zurlent, Bolivarian Solidarity Network, Chicago, IL.