From Caribbean News Now

WASHINGTON, USA — Following our article on Saturday concerning the publication in last Thursday’s Washington Post newspaper of an advertisement by Venezuela, purporting to speak for all member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), a reader has pointed out that the print advertisement in question differs from the version appearing on the ALBA website in some noteworthy respects, asserting that changing such wording is “typical Washington Post”.

A copy of the print advertisement on May 26 may be found here http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/docs/alba_wp_ad.pdf, and the text appearing on the ALBA website on May 19 may be seen here http://alba-tcp.org/en/contenido/special-communique-alba-tcp-solidarity-bolivarian-republic-venezuela-may-19th-2016, both criticising recent remarks by the Organisation of American States (OAS) secretary general, Luis Almagro.

The differences are as follows:

Headline:
Advertisement: Special Communiqué on Venezuela
Website: Special Communiqué

Second paragraph:
Advertisement: “…state that the affronts against the president invalidate the secretary general to speak on any matter relating to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, while his comments offend all sovereign states.”
Website: “…declare that the grievances against the Venezuelan leader invalidate the General Secretary to pronounce about any affair related to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as his commentaries offend every single sovereign State.”

Third paragraph:
Advertisement: “Mr Almagro took over the agenda of the Venezuelan political opposition and allowed the General Secretariat of the OAS to serve as defense of its more radical and violent sector.”
Website: “Mr Almagro endorsed the agenda of the Venezuelan political opposition and allowed the General Secretariat of the OAS to serve as shelter to its most radical and violent sector.”

Fourth paragraph:
Advertisement: “The countries of ALBA-TCP express our solidarity with our fellow nation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”
Website: “The member countries of ALBA-TCP manifest our solidarity with the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”

Fifth paragraph:
Advertisement: “The countries of ALBA-TCP recognize the hard work of the Venezuelan government in the promotion and protection of human rights, justice and peace, to contain the plan of international intervention aimed against Venezuela, threatening not only the stability of this fellow country but also of our region.”
Website: “The member countries of ALBA-TCP acknowledge the hard work of the Venezuelan Government in the promotion and protection of human rights, justice and peace, to contain the plan of international intervention intended against Venezuela, threatening not only the stability of this sister nation, but our region’s stability as well.”

Sixth paragraph:
Advertisement: “Finally, the member countries of ALBA-TCP rely on the unwavering will of the Venezuelan people, guided by the thought of Simon Bolivar and his ability to close ranks against this ongoing threat to the democratic stability of the country and the region.”
Website: “Finally, the member countries of ALBA-TCP trust in the unbreakable will of the Venezuelan people, guided by the thinking of Simón Bolívar and his capacity to close lines in the face of this continued threat against the democratic stability of the country and the region.”

Closing:
Advertisement: “Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Commonwealth of Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Venezuela”
Website: Missing

In summary, according to the ALBA website:

• Almagro “endorses” instead of “taking over “the agenda of the Venezuelan political opposition” and serves as “shelter” and not “defense” of its “most” (not “more”) radical and violent sector.

• The “member countries”, not simply “countries” (which might include associated countries that are not full members), “manifest” their solidarity with Venezuela instead of “expressing” such solidarity.

• Venezuela becomes a “sister nation” instead of a “fellow country” in its promotion and protection of human rights – surely a joke in both instances.

• ALBA member countries “trust in the unbreakable will” instead of “relying on the unwavering will” of the Venezuelan people.

• No corresponding list of ALBA members purportedly endorsing the advertisement appears on the website endorsing the “communiqué”.

The Washington Post has not so far responded to a request for comment.

IMAGE: alba1.jpg
Advertisement appearing in last Thursday’s Washington Post newspaper

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Washington-Post-blamed-for-amending-ALBA-communique-30585.html