Open Letter to Boris Johnson from G-400

G-400+ VENEZUELA

Boris Johnson May 9, 2008
Mayor of London
Greater London Authority
City Hall. The Queen's Walk
London

The G-400+Venezuela is dedicated to the preservation of freedom, human rights and democracy in Venezuela. (See full members list) http://g400mas.blogspot.com/

Dear Mayor Johnson

The G-400+Venezuela hastens to congratulate you for your recent victory as the new Mayor of London. A victory that we are celebrating after listening to your acceptance speech promising that: “Where there have been mistakes, we will rectify them”. The Livingstone-Chávez deal to provide cheap fuel for London’s buses and trams was a major mistake that for the sake of the poorest Venezuelans, as well as for the prestige of London, we trust that you will rectify.
When you see the video of the calamitous state of the children hospital in Caracas-which we are sending you- I am sure that you will be moved to communicate to the Chávez regime that the extravagant and perverse oil deal granted to your great capital should instead be used to provide decent and human care for the poor and abandoned children of our own capital city.

Two years ago, when Hugo Chávez was warmly welcomed in City Hall by Mayor Livingstone, the leader of the London Assembly Conservatives Richard Barnes, did not mince words: “Why does London, one of the richest capitals in the world, need to exploit a developing nation? This money would be better directed at the poor of Venezuela. London should not be doing business with third-rate South American dictators with an appalling human rights and democratic record."

Angie Bray another Conservative leader, added: "Ken Livingstone and the President of Venezuela should be ashamed of themselves for even contemplating such a proposal. I'm sure the 35% of Venezuelans who struggle below the poverty line, many of them critically so, would be shocked at the cynical siphoning off of their main asset to provide one of the world's most prosperous cities with cheap oil. "

We wish you great success as you proceed to “work flat out” for the people of London and for the poor children of my own city that are also counting on your promise to rectify errors. As you yourself said: “Let’s get cracking”

Sincerely yours,