YouSaid · the spoken record

Guillermo Fernández De Soto Valderrama

lines on the record: 24
first: 2020-04-27
most recent: 2020-10-29
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“To that end, the Government has been working on ways to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus disease, including specific guidelines to prevent and deal with that violence. The women and peace and security agenda is a priority for my Government, and we will continue to share our lessons learned and challenges in order to continue to make progress in making this agenda a reality.S/2020/1084”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“Additionally, Colombia has been working on the promotion of legal economic opportunities for women in areas that have traditionally been co-opted by illegal economies, primarily drug trafficking and illegal mining. The impact of violence against women, in terms of sexual violence and forced displacement, is recognized globally, but very little has been said about the economic and property violence suffered by women exposed to the control of illegal armed groups and illegal economies. That is why we insist that ensuring their security can contribute to their empowerment and economic autonomy. I would be remiss if I did not mention the impact of the pandemic in relation to gender-based violence.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“At the territorial level, more than 65,000 women participated in the formulation of the development plans with a territorial focus. To combat violence against women, my country is working on cultural and institutional transformation. In the face of gender-based violence, we must change social and institutional tolerance practices in order to ensure the safety of women and prevent the recurrence of violence. That is why it is important to draw up guidelines for establishing protocols for the prevention of sexual harassment and gender-based violence and providing care for its victims. We have been working on that on an inter-institutional basis.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“President Iván Duque Márquez has been emphatic in highlighting those 51 indicators as the path to implementing that approach in a cross-cutting manner. The participation of women in peacebuilding is a priority for my Government, as it contributes to the transformations proposed by the “Peace with legality” policy with regard to economic autonomy, the generation of dignified workspaces and other conditions in order to end the cycle of violence that violates women’s rights. That is particularly true for rural women. Women’s participation is fundamental at both the national and territorial levels. At the national level, the Special Body for the Gender Perspective in Peace was set up, with the representation of women’s organizations and platforms from different sectors and backgrounds of the social movement in Colombia.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“The twentieth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) is an opportunity to reiterate our political commitment to gender equality. Having recognized that the achievement of a peaceful and inclusive society must be based on the promotion of the political and economic empowerment of women in order to achieve the principles of legality, entrepreneurship and equity, Colombia has been a living example of resolution 1325 (2000). Colombia has been working on the implementation of the gender perspective established in the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, specifically through the materialization of the 51 gender indicators of the Government’s implementation framework.”
2020-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1084 (2020) · source
“On the contrary, it has devoted its efforts to strengthening its institutions, consolidating its institutional capacities to ensure stability and security, and raising the quality of life of its citizens. We have waged an ongoing war against crime and have made significant economic and social progress since the beginning of the century. Allow me to express clearly our emphatic rejection of any allegations purporting to link my Government to actions that run counter to international law. The restoration of democracy in Venezuela is a shared purpose and a moral imperative. The Security Council can be certain that Colombia does not pose a threat to international peace and security.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Clíver Alcalá, who claimed responsibility for acquiring said weapons, is the subject of open investigation by the Colombian Attorney General’s Office. He voluntarily surrendered to the United States authorities in order to collaborate with the criminal proceedings against him in this country. The events of the so-called Operation Gideon are also under judicial investigation. Regarding the false accusations purporting to implicate the Colombian authorities in the use of force contrary to international law, we reiterate the 7 May communiqué from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which strongly rejects those claims. Colombia has never been an aggressor country.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Maduro’s illegitimate regime irresponsibly accuses Colombia of tolerating the commission of crimes that may affect Venezuela. But nothing could be further from the truth. Some examples of actions taken by Colombian authorities to promote law enforcement and criminal prosecution can be found in the document that I delivered today to the President of the Security Council. Several of the criminals that the Venezuelan regime mentions in its recent complaints have been imprisoned in the past year. The allegations are also false with regard to the seizure of weapons on 23 March. At the time of the arms seizure, Colombian judicial authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of the person in possession of said weapons, issued a criminal notice and began an investigation. Mr.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“In September 2018, the Heads of State of Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru filed a petition with the ICC, formally requesting the opening of an investigation into the commission of crimes against humanity under the Nicolás Maduro regime. France later supported that petition. Likewise, the member States of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance agreed to activate the Organ of Consultation of the Treaty. In September 2019, they adopted a resolution that indicated that “all of these criminal activities, associated with the humanitarian crisis generated by the deterioration of the political, economic and social situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, represents a threat to the maintenance of the peace and security of the continent”.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“The Government of Colombia has acted in strict observance of international law with the aim of seeing Venezuela’s democracy restored, and has not carried out any covert or hidden actions. On the contrary, it has deployed all diplomatic efforts within its reach and has spoken in various forums on the abuses committed by the regime against the Venezuelan people. In May 2017, President Iván Duque, a senator at the time, filed a complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Nicolás Maduro for the commission of crimes against humanity. In May 2018, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States also submitted a report to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, in which he shows that there is no access to a fair justice system in Venezuela.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Corruption and other criminal activities provide enormous proceeds to Maduro and his collaborators, who are unwilling to abandon those activities and give up their lucrative business, even if that means continuing to deprive Venezuelan citizens of goods and services essential to their survival. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Venezuela is the most corrupt country in Latin America and the fifth most corrupt in the world. Recently, the United States Attorney General charged Maduro and 14 other current and former officials of the regime, including Iván Márquez and Jesús Santric, former leaders of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo, with formal criminal charges for narco-terrorism and corruption, among others.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“The Lima Group has repeatedly called for a democratic transition in Venezuela that will allow for the rule of law to be restored and the economy to be rebuilt. In making that call, however, the Lima Group members have always stressed that such a process must take place peacefully and in accordance with the Venezuelan Constitution. The European Union has also promoted initiatives aimed at facilitating the recovery of democratic institutions in Venezuela, such as the International Contact Group. Norway and Sweden have also undertaken efforts to find solutions to the crisis through dialogue. Unfortunately, the regime has proven its unwillingness to abandon its position of oppression against the people of Venezuela.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Responding to a humanitarian call by the Venezuelan National Assembly and interim President Juan Guaidó, on 23 February 2019 an effort was made to provide Venezuelan citizens with urgently needed food and medicine. Together with Brazil, Curaçao, Chile, Paraguay, the United States and Puerto Rico, my country gathered humanitarian supplies at the border city of Cúcuta with the intention of delivering them to volunteers who would carry them to Venezuelan territory. The Maduro regime responded with violence, and the paramilitary armed groups known as “colectivos” thwarted the delivery of the provisions. Tensions at the border led to the expulsion of all Colombian diplomatic and consular personnel from Venezuelan territory, and diplomatic ties were broken.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“The High Commissioner has also documented the increasing repression of political dissidents and the subjection of detained persons, including children, to various forms of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, as well as punishments such as beatings, electric shocks, suffocation and threats of sexual assault. More than 5 million Venezuelan citizens have had to abandon their homeland due to poverty and repression. As a result of this unprecedented exodus, more than 1.8 million Venezuelans have established their residence in Colombia. Confronted with the challenge of the second-largest displacement crisis in the world, Colombia has acted with unfailing fraternity and solidarity, investing significant financial and institutional resources on an ongoing basis despite the emergency caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Who could believe that a country with one of the largest oil, gas and minerals reserves in the world would end up experiencing scarcity, a lack food and medicines, a shortage of electricity and water supplies and insufficient gasoline for domestic consumption? The human rights situation in Venezuela is unprecedented. Since 2003, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has reported on the clear weakness in the fundamental pillars for the existence of the rule of law. Furthermore, since 2018, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted patterns of violations of all human rights.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“The regime’s hostile policy against Colombian institutions runs counter to the rules of international law and the resolutions of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Venezuela has been driven to a multidimensional crisis. It has gone from being one of the most prosperous nations in Latin America to a situation of profound deterioration. Today it is widely considered a failed State. Between 2014 and 2019, Venezuela lost two thirds of its wealth, and last year hyperinflation stood close to 10,000 per cent. In addition, its oil production went from 3 million barrels a day in 1999 to 622,000 barrels a day in April 2020, and half of its population lives in multidimensional poverty.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“Both nations share a long history and an extensive border that has been described as the most alive border in America. Over the past two decades, Colombia has implemented a policy aimed at integrating and supporting the social and economic development of the border regions and their communities. However, such efforts stand in stark contrast to Venezuela’s ongoing support for terrorism and its collusion with transnational organized crime, thereby adversely affecting Colombia’s national security and the stability of the region. Both Chávez and Maduro turned purported attacks — all failed ones — and attacks against Venezuela’s sovereignty — all of them under control — and systematic conspiracy theories against their regime into the core tenets of their propaganda.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this meeting on Venezuela, a sister country facing a colossal crisis. My country has a historic tradition of respect for democracy and international law. It has been a strong advocate for multilateralism and dialogue to resolve differences. Colombia, together with more than 50 countries and multilateral organizations, has disavowed the illegitimate Maduro regime for over a year, and instead recognizes interim President Juan Guaidó. As a part of the Lima Group and along with other countries, it supports his efforts to restore democracy in Venezuela. Colombia’s relationship with Venezuela is a strategic issue. The tight bonds forged by proximity have guided our international policy.”
2020-05-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/435 (2020) · source
“This process with young people calls for commitment and support on all sides to continue forging ahead on the promising path we are on. I thank you, Sir, for providing a venue for a range of stakeholders to share their visions and understand those of others, for recalling the goals and for recognizing the achievements thanks to the Security Council’s resolutions on youth and peace and security.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“We must therefore devote attention to the most disadvantaged and marginalized groups, such as pregnant and lactating young women and girls, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, refugees and displaced persons, and make use of relevant channels of communication to ensure that the years of hard-won progress in these communities do not fall by the wayside.The Government of Colombia will continue making every possible effort to build a country and a world in which the human rights and fundamental freedoms of young people are protected and respected, including those relating to their freedoms of movement and of expression and their political and civic participation, and supporting the establishment of a safe environment so that they may work in peace and security. Colombia will not stop at peacebuilding.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“The grave situation facing the world today due to the coronavirus disease outbreak is a matter with far-reaching consequences. We are all exposed and young people play a vital role in stopping its spread, primarily by ensuring that the most vulnerable do not fall sick. Young people should approach the pandemic crisis as an opportunity to show that by working together in solidarity, not only at the local level but also at the national and even international levels, we can overcome this crisis. We are facing a new kind reality unlike any seen in our lifetimes. While we know that the outbreak affects everyone, its consequences are most acute in the most vulnerable areas.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Colombia recognizes that the only way to achieve stability in areas afflicted by violence is to create opportunities for the participation and empowerment of young people. That is why the implementation of projects designed by young people for young people is among the integral components of Government policy, especially the policy of peace with legality. It is in the context of vulnerability and discrimination that phenomena such as forced recruitment by illegal groups most frequently occur. It is therefore necessary to tackle the lack of employment and recognition for this segment of the population in all regions of the country. Young people have potential and play a crucial role in conflict resolution, violence prevention and peacebuilding, thereby breaking cycles of violence.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“Established under the technical coordination of the “Young Colombia” National Youth System Directorate under the auspices of the presidency of the Republic, the Sacúdete programme is one of the national Government’s principal tools for driving social transformation, highlighting the importance of young people as agents of change in the transition towards an inclusive society, based on the three principles of the Government of President Iván Duque: legality, equity and entrepreneurship. Under this programme, there are currently 1,400 activity centres, such as conservatories; youth counsellors are being elected across the country; and there is a virtual marketplace, among other things. This tool equips young Colombians with the tools they need to overcome social, cultural and economic barriers to their potential.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for convening this meeting, providing for an exchange of practical experience in implementing resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018), as well as an exploration of recommendations on actions to strengthen the role of young people in strengthening peace and security. Colombia has reiterated its commitment to young people by promoting the establishment of legal tools promoting their participation in conflict-resolution and peacebuilding processes. Moreover, these norms seek to prevent and protect against the violation of young people’s rights, to promote the effective exercise of their rights, to provide access to the necessary resources for their full enjoyment of their rights, and to ensure their participation in society’s various dialogue and decision- making mechanisms.”
2020-04-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/346 (2020) · source