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
8360 Greensboro drive #710
McLean, Virginia 22102