National Endowment for Democracy (NED) letter to
Organization of American States (OAS)

National Endowment for Democracy
22 de Abril del 2004


Letter signed by NED Chairman Vin Weber, former Secretary of State and NDI Chairman Madeleine Albright, and IRI Chairman Senator John McCain in response to the charges leveled in the OAS Permanent Council on March 31 against the National Endowment for Democracy.

Click here to read "NED letter to OAS" (PDF document, 204KB)

Click here to read "NED Venezuela programs FAQ"



MEMO to OAS
Date: April 20, 2004
On March 31, 2004 the Venezuelan Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Jorge Valero, made a series of unfounded allegations against the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and its programs in Venezuela at the OAS Permanent Council meeting. Given the seriousness of these charges, the NED wanted to provide you with factual information about its programs.

One of the more serious charges leveled against NED in the Permanent Council meeting of March 31 was the allegation that there was a connection between the NED and the coup d’etat of April 2002. This is entirely unfounded and false. Ambassador Valero also claims that all of the NED Venezuelan grantees from the last four years were “openly involved in the coup d’etat,” yet presents no evidence of their involvement. In a thorough independent review of NED activities and programs before and during the events of April 2002, the U.S. Inspector General’s Office concluded “Based on OIG’s review the NED, its core grantees and discretionary grant recipients were carrying out programs in a manner consistent with NED grant policies and guidelines and were adhering to U.S. laws and policies. NED and the core grantees have been working with groups in Venezuela since the early 1990s to re-democratize and rebuild institutions. They believe that democratic ends can be achieved only through democratic means.”

Ambassador Valero asserted that NED works exclusively with the opposition in Venezuela. In fact, the NED supports projects that promote and defend democratic processes and rights, irrespective of political orientation. This includes organizations conducting programs to support human rights, defend freedom of expression, train communities and elected officials in conflict resolution, monitor electoral processes, and work with legislatures in the development of laws. All of the groups supported by NED are working to promote and protect democratic and constitutional rights, rights contained in Venezuela’s own constitution.

Comments made by the Venezuelan Ambassador to the OAS gave the impression that NED has financed political parties in Venezuela. All of NED’s work to strengthen democratic political parties has been conducted with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI). These programs have consisted of training and technical assistance and have been open to all political parties, including the governing party. No funding has been given to any political parties in Venezuela, either pro-government or in the opposition.

The presentation at the OAS Permanent Council on March 31 also included a series of unfounded allegations against NED grantees in Venezuela. One of the most prominent of the allegations—repeated in a number of forums—is the charge that the organization Súmate received Endowment support to collect signatures in favor of a referendum. Súmate received a grant of $53,400 from NED to observe the signature collection process that was conducted by the Venezuelan electoral council and monitored by the OAS and the Carter Center; NED support was not used for the collection of signatures. In observing the signature collection process, Súmate was monitoring a process guaranteed in the constitution and endorsed by the President, the opposition and the international organizations involved in facilitating dialogue in Venezuela.

Ambassador Valero also wrongly asserted that NED is financing groups that are working exclusively in states governed by the opposition. NED programs support activities and NGOs throughout Venezuela, regardless of the political orientation of the state government. Moreover, NED, whether in its programs with the core institutes or its programs to organizations in-country, only supports nongovernmental organizations. It does not finance state or public institutions.

The Ambassador’s attack against the organization Acción Campesina (Peasant Action) is without any evidence and includes a particularly worrisome allegation. Acción Campesina has received NED funds to involve local small farmers and community groups in discussions about the proposed land reform law and, on the basis of those discussions, propose changes or reforms to the National Assembly. It is an inherently democratic and constructive project of community debate and engagement with elected officials. Nevertheless, from this rather innocent and democratic exercise, Ambassador Valero charged that Acción Campesina is trying to sabotage the Ley de Tierras y Desarrollo Agraria and the government’s plan for agricultural reform. Most worrisome is the completely unfounded charge made by Ambassador Valero that the group has alliances with “latifundistas” that have ordered the assassination of 72 peasant leaders. This assertion is made without any evidence, against a group that for decades has dedicated itself to peacefully helping small farmers in Venezuela gain access to credit and land. Acción Campesina is a grassroots, democratic organization.

The charges of treason or sabotage made by the Ambassador against the human rights and civic groups that have received NED support are very troubling in that they reflect an attitude of intolerance of the fundamental right of groups to dissent and of political pluralism generally. In this regard, on February 18th Amnesty International issued a public statement expressing its concern that the government does “not appear to be familiar with the universal principle that all individuals and groups all over the world are free to collaborate and to exchange information and expertise for the purpose of protecting and defending universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Last, in leveling his charges against NED, Ambassador Valero said that he was drawing from recently “declassified” documents from NED. In fact, the documents he cites were public documents obtained through the U.S. Freedom of Information Action (FOIA). The National Endowment for Democracy is a private organization. It does not have classified documents.