In a conversation with Venezuela’s Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Claudia Salerno Caldera, SOCIETY got an insight into the country’s Foreign Policy, its take on climate change and its relations with Austria and the EU.
Since December 2024, you are accredited as the Ambassador of Venezuela to Austria – how would you describe the current state of relations between the two countries? Where do you see the biggest potential for further improving bilateral ties between Venezuela and Austria?
Since my arrival in Vienna in June 2024, the Austrian authorities have been respectful and cordial at all times. Currently, relations between Austria and Venezuela are one of dialogue and reciprocal respect. I have had several bilateral meetings with Austrian government authorities and they have always been respectful encounters of frank dialogue and objective discussions. I maintain excellent contact with the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Austria and Venezuela have had diplomatic relations since 1947. In Austria as well as in the three concurrences for which I was appointed as diplomatic representative of Venezuela (Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia), there is an important Venezuelan community; about 1500 Venezuelan citizens live in these countries, contributing to their socio-economic development.
Tourism exchange is a sector in which both countries can work hand in hand and encourage investments, as well as cultural, academic, scientific and technological cooperation.
More generally speaking: What are the main pillars of Venezuela’s Foreign Policy?
Venezuelan foreign policy is based on the doctrine of Bolivarian peace diplomacy, which promotes respect for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, the peaceful resolution of international conflicts through dialogue and negotiation, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, solidarity and complementary cooperation among peoples, for the construction of a multicentric and pluripolar world, without hegemonic domination for ideological, political or cultural reasons.
Venezuela promotes multilateralism over unilateralism, free self-determination, sovereign equality of states, gender equality, interculturality of peoples and union, integration and peace.
From 2015 until 2021, you have been accredited as Ambassador to the European Union – how would you define the current relationship between the bloc and your country?
Venezuela maintains cordial and respectful relations with most of the countries of the European Union. In fact, several of these countries have important investments in Venezuela in strategic sectors such as energy, telecommunications, industry, transportation and services.
Several European countries have historical ties with Venezuela, since for many years we were the recipients of an important migration from Europe that collaborated with our development. Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Germany, among others, have outstanding immigrant communities in Venezuela.
The differences are with the institutions of the European Union (European Parliament, European Council), for their hostile and interventionist policies towards Venezuela, supported by European extreme right-wing leaders who are related to the Venezuelan anti-democratic opposition, who try from abroad to promote the rupture of the national democratic order, through violent actions and military intervention.
Among the Member Countries of the European Union there are divisions on the effectiveness of the illegal imposition of the wrongly named sanctions, which affect the entire Venezuelan people, not only Venezuelan governmental or institutional authorities. The Venezuelan Government cannot negotiate with the institutions of the European Union in the midst of illegal and criminal unilateral coercive measures, in violation of international law.
Speaking of relations: On January 20, Donald Trump took over the office as president of the USA. What impact could the new US administration have on Venezuela? How do you think the relations will develop within the next years/or how do you wish them to develop?
Venezuela held important negotiations with the last government of the U.S. Bolivarian diplomacy is always willing to dialogue with any international actor. The Constitutional Government of President Nicolás Maduro Moros will be ready to dialogue with the new U.S. administration if there is reciprocal respect and no interference in national internal affairs.
Between 2009 and 2016, you acted as Special Envoy for Climate Change – what are Venezuela’s main policies in this regard?
When Venezuela – alongside many other countries – vetoed the Copenhagen Accord in 2009, the country intensively engaged to construct what is today known as the Paris Agreement. Venezuela was an instrumental part of the negotiations and I happened to have the opportunity to be a Special Envoy during that time. With the country being so involved in this process, it additionally started a national transformational approach regarding climate change policies.
For example, Venezuela was the first country in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean that implemented a penal law for environmental damages – in general, we have always been advanced when it comes to the development of environmental laws. A little later, in 2013, then President Hugo Chavez dedicated a whole chapter of his work programme to climate change. This created a lot of noise in the country, but Chavez took on the challenge and emphasized that fighting climate change was not a risk but an opportunity as well as a responsibility – even though Venezuela is only producing around 0.4% of the global emission. An interesting fact in this regard is that around 60% of the country’s territory is basically untouched or naturally preserved. Indigenous people there are living in a harmonious relationship with nature and their traditional forms of life are being preserved by the government.