Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his Department's position on the Bolivarian transition. [10519/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Bolivarian Revolution, named after the South American independence hero Simón Bolivar, was launched by President Hugo Chavez following his inauguration as President of Venezuela in 1999. It aims to create a social economy with a focus on poverty reduction as an alternative to market-led economic policies. It also provides for a high degree of what is termed participatory democracy.

Ireland respects the right of states democratically to determine their respective approaches to political, economic and social development. In this connection, I would emphasise that the maintenance of strong and independent representative institutions is central to democracy and that all states must act in accordance with their international human rights commitments.