BRAZIL REQUESTS VENEZUELA FOR FAIR JUDGES AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/v2/read.php?id=172810

Brazil in a friendly diplomatic tone has asked Venezuela for fair judges and freedom of expression for its people.

Brazil has questioned the Venezuelan government guarantees for freedom of expression and the Judiciary branch's independence although at the same time saying it was a “good friend” of the government of President Hugo Chavez.“Subtly the Brazilian government sent its first public message of disappointment to President Chavez in Venezuela: the defence of human rights needs of freedom of the press and an independent Justice”, according to diplomatic sources quoted in O Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper.

“The guarantee of human rights needs of the independence of the Judiciary branch and full freedom of expression and freedom of the press” pointed out the Brazilian government through its ambassador in Geneva before the United Nations Human Rights Council.“I would like to invite the Venezuelan delegation to present (details) on the functioning of the judiciary branch in Venezuela, particularly on guarantees for an independent and impartial justice”, said Ambassador Maria Nazareth Farani Azevedo during the Council’s debates recentlyThe petition was presented by the Brazilian ambassador before the human rights council over the weekend at the UN in Geneva.

Ambassador Farani Azevedo also requested that “Venezuela allow the access of UN rapporteurs to investigate possible abuses and the strengthening of protection for human rights activists and appealed to the government of President Chavez to elaborate a national human rights plan in conformity with UN rules”. The Brazilian ambassador's petition follow on the Venezuelan government statement that it would only abide by the UN Human Rights Council recommendations which do not infringe the Venezuelan constitution.

“We are not willing to accept any recommendation that infringes our constitution, our legality and the dignity of our country, of our people”, said Venezuelan Foreign Affairs minister Nicolas Maduro, who is currently in Geneva.

Maduro said that Venezuela was not going to take any criticism from the United States, Israel or any of its NATO allies.“The proposals from the U.S are aggressive, cynical and boil down to a slap in the face to the dignity of our people”, said Maduro.The Venezuelan official said that “only twelve countries, among which the U.S, criticised the alleged lack of the Judiciary branch autonomy, aggressions to non government organizations and limitations to freedom of expression”.Tomorrow the Council will make public its report and recommendations on human rights in different countries, sources said

[BRAZIL HAS ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST CORRUPT JUDICIARIES,CAN YOU IMAGINE? How Brazilian Judges Undermine the Rule of Law: A Critical Appraisal http://www.profpito.com/ITBLRBrazilianJudiciaryZimmermann.pdf Ricardo Young, president of the Ethos Institute for Private Social Responsibility, stressed that "a number of corrupt officials have suffered no penal actions until today. Impunity of one of the worst problems in Brazil." http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/anti-corruption-round-table-in-brazil-9-december.html

[PATHETIC ATTEMPT BY US OR UN TO PRESSURE VENEZUELA,USING AN ALLY WICH ITSELF HAS AN ABYSMAL TRACK RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO DEFENDING RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION...JOURNALISTS ARE MURDERED TOO OFTEN IN BRAZIL AND CULPRITS ARE SELDOMLY ARRESTED..IMPUNITY IS RAMPANT!!!