U.S. Mission Statement on Cuba, Russia, China, and Iran Blocking the
ILO from Protecting Employers’ and Workers’ Rights in Venezuela
Cuba, Russia, China, and Iran have again demonstrated that they do not care about human rights or democracy in Venezuela, but are only interested in propping up the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro. On November 14, Cuba and Russia, with backing from China and Iran, blocked consensus at the International Labor Organization (ILO) on follow-up action to the report of the ILO’s recent Commission of Inquiry (COI), which found serious and urgent violations of international labor rights by the illegitimate Maduro regime.
In August, the regime rejected the COI’s recommendations, further proof of its commitment to undermining not only Venezuela’s institutions, but also those of the multilateral system. At the ILO Governing Body meeting last week, Cuba and Russia further undermined the labor rights of Venezuelans by blocking a consensus decision among Workers, Employers, and a majority of Member States aimed at compelling compliance with the COI’s recommendations.
The Governing Body will take up the issue again in March 2021, as part of the ILO’s ongoing efforts to use its supervisory system to ensure the protection of labor rights in Venezuela. We will continue to seek protection for Venezuelans and accountability for the actions of the illegitimate Maduro regime and for those who continue to undermine labor rights to protect Maduro.