Venezuela

2015: Present at the First International Conference on the SSD in Oslo.

Unresponsive to previous attempts to meet in NY.

March 2017: Attended Buenos Aires Conference on Safe Schools.

April 2017: GCPEA wrote to Foreign Minister.

December 2017: Meeting in Spain. The ambassador of Venezuela spoke about lack of accountability, the proliferation of military bases worldwide, huge defence budgets, the threat of nuclear war, the need to address the roots of conflict, etc. and affirmed Venezuela’s commitment to peace and the protection of women and children. He said the “invasion of schools is absolutely unacceptable”, and he pledged to push for endorsement in his capital. I responded to thank him, and made the point that protection of education, particularly conflict-sensitive education, can be one key way to mitigate the root causes of conflict.

July 2018: Co-sponsored resolution 2427 (2018).

November 2022: Following Colombia’s endorsement to the SSD, GCPEA convinced and supported the Permanent Mission of Argentina in Geneva to send a Note Verbale to the remaining GRULAC non-endorsing states: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela – encouraging them to endorse the SSD.

March 2023: During ID with SRSG CAAC (52 HRC) national statement: – Concerned about increase in attacks against schools as well as their undue use for military purposes depriving children of their right to education