Communiqué

The president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Comandante Hugo Chávez, in the name of the Venezuelan people and government, condemns the terrorist attack perpetrated today in Damascus, the capital of the brother Syrian Arab Republic, in the strongest and most unequivocal terms, and stands in solidarity with the brave Syrian people, in sending his most heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the tens of victims.

The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela repudiates this odious act of intimidation, which will not break the will of the Syrian people and their government to push for a broad national dialogue, while reiterating its support for President Bashar al Assad in his effort to push for a sovereign and independent political solution to defeat the attempts at destabilization whose target is the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Bolivarian government reaffirms its utter rejection of the colonialist, warmongering policies driven by the United States and its allies in the Middle East and restates its commitment to the right of the Syrian people to self-determination and independence.

Caracas, 6 January 2012