Venezuela's participation in worldwide groups and treaties

Solution Preview

Venezuela belongs to the United Nations, Organization of American States, and Group of 15, International Monetary Fund, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, World Bank, World Health Organization, and World Trade Organization as well as a host of other organizations.

Venezuela signed the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Tlatelolco Treaty) and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). These treaties, "Prohibit the acquisition, production, use, testing or possession of nuclear weapon in the region" (NIT, 2012). Venezuela possesses almost no nuclear infrastructure and little nuclear expertise. This is mostly due to the country's rich oil resources and abundant hydroelectric resources, since it will not require nuclear power to meet its energy needs. However, in October 2005, Hugo Chavez announced the country might acquire as many as, "A dozen nuclear power reactors from Brazil and/or Argentina" (NTI, 2012). This was a surprise to Brazilian and Argentinean officials and was considered a way of challenging the U.S. administration and gaining international prestige. Since that time there has been no public information indicating Venezuela has received nuclear technology or know-how from either country, however.

Chavez was an outspoken supporter of Iran's nuclear program, and joined Cuba and Syria in opposing sanctions put on Iran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors, which was widely supported by other countries. Venezuela also criticized UN Security Council resolutions requiring Iran to halt uranium enrichment and disclose the full extent of Iran's nuclear weapon activities. In return for support at the IAEA and the UN Security Council, "Iran has entered into more than 270 energy, development, commercial, and financial agreements with Venezuela and invested billions of dollars in joint projects" (NTI, 2012). In September 2009 Chavez announced that Venezuela had signed a nuclear ...