Topic:
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Jack Novak
Country: Venezuela
Committee: ECOSOC
Topic: Use of The Death Penalty
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is firmly against the use of the death penalty. Of the members of the United Nations, 54 still maintain the death penalty both in law as well as practice. The remaining members have either completely abolished the death penalty or only use it in severe crimes. Venezuela sees the use of the death penalty as a direct human rights violation and wants to work urgently to get countries like China, who execute more people per year than the rest of the world combined, to be held accountable in a respectful and encouraging way. We wish not to condemn any aforementioned nations, rather offer insightful thought and suggestions and concepts. The death penalty is innately and inherently inhumane and carries out reinforced racial and economic biases as well as a form of political silencing in countries who wish to silence protestors. Most of all, it’s such a permanent act that can’t be reversed and in the US for example, at least 195 people since 1973 have been wrongly put to death for crimes they did not do. This is simply unacceptable and action must be taken. Venezuela wishes to work with the rest of the committee to find alternatives that are effective forms of punishment, reliable, and most of all, humane.
Venezuela was the first country (still existing) to abolish the death penalty all the way back in 1864. The Maduro regime does carry out orderly execution of the opposition regime however,and this is the only exception to the abolishment. Rather than the death penalty for punishments, Venezuela does enforce lengthy prison sentences. However, we as a country also don’t believe in life sentences. Article 43 of the Venezuelan constitution states :”The right to life is inviolable. No law shall provide for the death penalty and no authority shall apply the same.”
Venezuela advocates for members of the UN to come together and formulate alternatives to the death penalty and to punish nations who inhumanely and unlawfully enforce the death penalty at severe rates. If some countries are unwilling to give it up, formulating strict guidelines in which said countries must abide by and follow through on these agreements could be a great alternative. Venezuela is very pleased to work with the rest of the committee and find a middle ground for all nations involved.
Biography:
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-abolition-of-death-penalty
https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/wfbcjsv.pdf
https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/facts-about-death-penalty/
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/international/executions-around-the-world
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/sentencing-alternatives
