03/07/2008
Tribute. Activities to celebrate 197th Venezuelan Independence Day kicked off in London
VENEZUELA CELEBRATES WITH MORE INDEPENDENCE, DEMOCRACY AND MORE SOLIDARITY

Encargado de Negocios Félix Plasencia, el Agregado Militar y cuerpo diplomático

With an event celebrating independence, sovereigny, self-determination and democracy, the Venezuelan Embassy to the United Kingdom laid a wreath at the feet of statue of Libertador Simón Bolivar. At Belgrave Square, outstanding personalities of the diplomatic world gathered to pay tribute to the Father of the Venezuelan Homeland. London – OPEV – With a heart felt address by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Venezuelan Embassy to the United Kingdom and a modest event yet rich in solemnity, a tribute was paid to the Father of the Venezuelan Homeland, Libertador Simón Bolívar at Belgrave Square in London.

“Venezuela continues with the Bolivarian struggle. Venezuelans envisage the future with optimism and determination, deeply convinced that they have a significant contribution  to make to the rest of the world vis-à-vis the challenges posed by the early 21st century,” said Chargé d’Affaires, Felix Plasencia on behalf of HE Ambassador Samuel Moncada who was absent of the jurisdiction for reasons beyond his control.

“The independence we cherish today is celebrated with more independence, more work, more sovereignty and more democracy, that is, more participation of its citizens. We also celebrate it with more solidarity and through the development of ever friendlier relations with the other nations of the world,” he said.

The event was attended by outstanding diplomats from the Latin American and the Caribbean – Ambassadors of Nicaragua, Bolivia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Dominica, and the Chargé d’Affaires of Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala, Argentine, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic. For some of the guests who have dwelled for longer in this jurisdiction, the attendance was unprecedented.

Ambassador of Colombia, Ms. Noemí Sanín also joined the gathering together with almost all her diplomatic officials.

Member of Parliament Colin Burgon was another special guest at this significant gathering. He dwelled the occasion to congratulate the Venezuelan people as follows: “It is a matter of great honour for me to join this celebration and pay homage to a man as significant as Simón Bolívar – a true forger of liberties, not only in his homeland Venezuela, but in other important Latin American nations. I congratulate the Venezuelan people on their independence.”

Former Colombian Foreign Affairs Minister and current Ambassador of Colombia, Noemi Sanín, also dwelled the occasion to send an affectionate greeting to the people of Venezuela: “I congratulate Venezuela on its independence and I feel personally very happy to be here and join this homage paid to Bolivar, the common founder of Venezuela and Colombia – He joins us together,” she said with her distinguishing kindness.
 
Ambassadors of Bolivia, María Beatriz Souviron, and Costa Rica Pilar Saborio de Rocafort, and the Chargés d’Affaires of Brazil, Ruy Pacheco de Azevedo Amaral, and Guatemala also said a few words congratulating the Venezuelan people and government.

In addition to most of the Latin American Embassies to London, the Political Counsellor of Spain also presented the greetings of her Government on behalf of Ambassador De Miranda who at that time was attending to the visit paid by Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos to the United Kingdom.

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