The member of the Venezuelan National Assembly said he is leading this initiative together with also PSUV MP Braulio Alvarez, also present at La Via Campesina’s conference. "We want this bill to be anti-GMO in order to ensure food sovereignty and agri-food independence in our country", said Ureña at the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Youth Assembly of La Via Campesina. The MP was one of the people chosen to analyze the current global context.

“Venezuela already protects food sovereignty in its national Constitution and we are advancing towards an agri-food sovereignty in our country”, he stated. In this way, he highlighted the several countries that enshrined food sovereignty in their constitutions.

“I think there is an important strategic line addressed by the young people (of La Via Campesina) at the latest meeting, which is to defeat transnational corporations that threaten peasants every day”, he added.

Ureña highlighted "we may have to start asking ourselves if the FAO is giving global peasants the interest and solutions many of us, here at this meeting, are expecting". Before closing his speech, Ureña explained that he thinks it is important to search for an alternative to the FAO, “in view of the strength of Via Campesina in the world”.

The PSUV representative also pointed out that the world is going through several crisis: food, climate, energy, financial and a biodiversity crisis. “I would add a sixth crisis, the moral and world ethics crisis. And the cause of it is the neoliberal capitalist model”, he added.

Ureña believes we have to find an “alternative model” that puts men and women on the center of attention instead of money, as his country did “under Hugo Chavez’ administration”.

Photo: www.asambleanacional.gov.ve