Venezuela’s President Chavez calls for liberation of the Sahrawi people

The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez Frias, expressed his solidarity to the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in their struggle for their independence from Morocco.

September 21, 2009 — The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez Frias, expressed his solidarity to the people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in their struggle for their independence from Morocco.

The statement was issued by President Chavez during his meeting with Mohamed Saui, who studies in Cuba and is currently visiting Venezuela together with a delegation of young African students who are to take part in the Third Cultural Festival of the People of Africa, from September 20 to 25, on the way to the Summit of Presidents of Africa and South America.

"As Fidel [Castro] told you, I tell you on behalf of Venezuela: We support and we will always support the cause of your people, the cause of the freedom of the Sahrawi people", Chavez expressed.

Moreover, he reaffirmed his commitment of eventually visiting the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and he categorically affirmed that "it is necessary that we have more awareness and solidarity with the Sahrawi people".

The Venezuelan president also said that the Bolivarian government has travelled to the parts of Western Sahara. "Minister Ramirez was there; some students from here are there; and we have been humbly cooperating."

The president stressed that Sahrawi people, "live persecuted in the desert; they were caste out from their land, violaed. The United Nations has made a decision and Morocco ignores it. We have to raise awareness about the Sahrawi cause."

Furthermore, Chavez took the opportunity to report that there is a documentary titled The Last African Colony, by the Venezuelan filmmaker Carlos Azpurua. He requested that the documentary be broadcast by state-run television VTV and the regional TV channel, Telesur.

"We have to demand solidarity and respect for Sahrawi independence from the world. We have to help these people so that their living standards improve daily and so that they obtain full independence," President Chavez said.

The Sahrawi people are native inhabitants from Western Sahara. Most of them inhabit the area occupied by Morocco.

Edited by Venezuelanalysis.com

Source: ABN