China calls on the United States to stop interfering in the affairs of other countries on the pretext of protecting human rights, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gen Shuang said at a briefing on Friday, commenting on US criticism of Venezuela’s election as a member of the UN HRC.
Venezuela on Thursday, during a vote by the General Assembly, was elected to the number of 14 countries that in 2020-2022 will be included in the UN Human Rights Council. In total, the council, which is regularly rotated, includes 47 countries. Commenting on this decision, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter that “China and Russia voted to accept Nicholas Maduro in the UN HRC. Farce.” He also added that Maduro purposefully destroys the human rights of every Venezuelan.
“There is no sense in these comments of the USA, the election of Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council was the result of the vote of the UN General Assembly, which reflects the will of the international community, it is legal and lawful, and if someone questions these results, in my opinion, he questions the authority of the UN General Assembly”, – the diplomat said.
Geng Shuang called on the US side to “stop politicizing human rights, stop using human rights as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, otherwise it will further undermine the image and authority of the United States and will meet with objections from the international community”.
Earlier this year, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visited Venezuela and met with representatives of the authorities and the opposition. In the report following the visit, she said that basic rights and freedoms were violated in the republic, but noted that the country was ready for cooperation in the field of human rights.
Venezuelan President Maduro said the report is “full of lies, manipulations and false data.”