Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat (Venezuelan Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxoɾxe alˈβeɾto areˈasa monseˈra(t)]; born 6 June 1973) is a Venezuelan politician who has held several important positions in the administration of President Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro. From August 2017 to August 2021, Arreaza served as Venezuela's Minister of Foreign Affairs. Arreaza has been sanctioned by Canada and the United States for his role in the violation of human rights in Venezuela.
Jorge Arreaza | |
|---|---|
 Arreaza in July 2012 | |
| Vice President of Venezuela | |
| In office 19 April 2013 – 6 January 2016 Acting: 8 March 2013 – 19 April 2013 | |
| President | Nicolás Maduro |
| Preceded by | Nicolás Maduro |
| Succeeded by | Aristóbulo Istúriz |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 2 August 2017 – 20 August 2021 | |
| President | Nicolás Maduro |
| Preceded by | Samuel Moncada |
| Succeeded by | Felix Plasencia |
| Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology | |
| In office 8 January 2016 – 4 January 2017 | |
| President | Nicolás Maduro |
| Preceded by | Manuel Fernández Meléndez |
| Succeeded by | Hugbel Roa |
| Minister of Science and Technology | |
| In office 27 November 2011 – 19 April 2013 | |
| President | Hugo Chávez Nicolás Maduro |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Fernández Meléndez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jorge Alberto Arreaza Montserrat 6 June 1973 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Political party | United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) |
| Spouse(s) |
Rosa Virginia Chavez Colmenares
(m. 2007; div. 2017)Germania (m. 2022) |
| Alma mater | Central University of Venezuela University of Cambridge |
Education and early career
editBorn in Caracas, Arreaza Montserrat received a degree in international studies from the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and was awarded a scholarship by the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Foundation during the 1990s, which allowed him to earn a master's degree in European Policy Studies at University of Cambridge, England. At UCV, he also worked as a journalist and university teacher, in addition to working as an announcer and interviewer on several public television venues in Venezuela,[1] and as host of the television show Diálogo abierto on Venezolana de Televisión.[2]
Political career
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Arreaza Montserrat was appointed the vice president of Venezuela and served from 2013 to 2016.[3] He previously served as Minister of Science and Technology from 2011 to 2013 and also served as President of Fundación Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho (FUNDAYACUCHO) from 2005 until December 2009. He became Chavez's son-in-law in 2007, after marrying Chavez's eldest daughter, Rosa Virginia.[1] Throughout the final stages of Chavez's illness, Arreaza served as unofficial spokesman of the Chavez family.[2]
Arreaza has dismissed the opposition criticisms that the government is using the army to promote an ideology, which is against the 1999 constitution, saying "the military are Chávez-militants who will guarantee the socialist model in Venezuela".[4][additional citation(s) needed]
On 2 August 2017, after the election of the National Constituent Assembly, President Nicolás Maduro appointed Arreaza as head of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, with the mission of retaking the leading role of Venezuela in the world. Arreaza was succeeded as Foreign Minister by Felix Plasencia in August 2021.[5]
Sanctions
editCanada
editOn 15 April 2019, Canada announced that sanctions on 43 individuals were applied on 12 April based on the Special Economic Measures Act.[6] The government statement said "the sanctions hit high ranking officials of the Maduro regime, regional governors, and people directly implicated in activities undermining democratic institutions". Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland stated, "The Maduro dictatorship must be held accountable for this crisis and depriving Venezuelans of their most basic rights and needs. Canada is committed to supporting the peaceful restoration of constitutional democracy in Venezuela."[7]
The newly sanctioned Venezuelans included Arreaza.[6] In response, his ministry has accused Canada of supporting Trump's "war adventure" and said that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "has invalidated Canada as a reliable actor in dialogue."[8]
United States
editThe United States sanctioned Arreaza along with Judge Carol Bealexis Padilla de Arretureta on 26 April 2019 as they were determined to be current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. Both were accused of exploiting the U.S. financial system to support the “illegitimate” regime of Nicolas Maduro.[9] The U.S. Department of State issued a statement describing Arreaza as being "at the forefront" of the Maduro administration attempts "to thwart the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people."[10]
Hours later, Arreaza responded that the sanctions "gives us more strength for the struggle." He further elaborated saying that "Yesterday, we denounced the US criminal blockade against Venezuela at the UN. Today, the Trump administration responds with desperation against us. TRUTH hurts!"[11]
According to US ambassador to the OAS Carlos Trujillo, Arreaza could face financial difficulties when trying to make transactions with the Maduro government through the US financial system, as well as visa difficulties due to the sanctions.[12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Noticias 24 Venezuela (8 March 2013). "Perfil de Jorge Arreaza, designado nuevo Vicepresidente de la República (Profile of Jorge Arreaza, appointed new Vice President)". Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Lozano, Daniel; James G. Garcia. "Jorge Arreaza: Yerno de Chávez y hombre emergente en el chavismo". Univision.com. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- ^ Boon, Lisseth (12 July 2011). "Cinco cosas que no sabía sobre el ministro Jorge Arreaza (Five things you did not know about the minister Jorge Arreaza)". Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- ^ "Arreaza insists that the Venezuelan armed forces are pro-Chávez (Notitarde, in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Venezuela's president appoints Felix Plasencia as new foreign minister". Anadolu Agency. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations". Government of Canada. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Canada expands Venezuela sanctions, adds 43 people close to Maduro". CBC Canada. Thomson Reuters. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Venezuela accuses Canada of supporting Trump's 'war adventure'". Yahoo News. Agence France-Presse. 16 April 2019. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ Mohsin, Saleha; Rosati, Andrew (26 April 2019). "U.S. Treasury Sanctions Venezuela's Top Diplomat Arreaza". Bloomberg. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
The Treasury Department sanctioned Venezuela's foreign minister for allegedly exploiting the U.S. financial system to support what it considers the "illegitimate" regime of Nicolas Maduro.
- ^ "The United States sanctions Maduro-aligned individuals" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
- ^ Arreaza, Jorge [@jaarreaza] (26 April 2019). "Some reactions confirm that we walk the right path. It gives us more STRENGTH for the struggle. Yesterday, we denounced the US criminal blockade against Venezuela at the UN. Today, the Trump administration responds with desperation against us. TRUTH hurts!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Carlos Trujillo: "Arreaza will have problems with the visa and transactions"". Noticerio Digital (in Spanish). 26 April 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
- ^ Carla Angola [@carlaangola] (26 April 2019). "Arreaza limited for your business, transactions, use of goods and visa. Ambassador Trujillo told us about the US sanction against Arreaza, the chancellor of Maduro" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
