83.TheCommittee considered theninthperiodic reportofVenezuela (CERD/C/149/Add.18) atits834thand835thmeetings, heldon9August 1989 (CERD/C/SR.834 and835). 84.Thereport wasintroduced bytherepresentative oftheStateparty, whosaid thatVenezuela's regular compliance withreporting obligations hadreflected a serious viewofitsresponsibilities anditsclearcommitment toequality and fundamental freedoms forallindividuals. Racialdiscrimination, heemphasized, didnotexistinVenezuela andwastotally alientoVenezuelans, whowere egalitarian bynature andabhorred allformsofdiscrimination. Venezuelans were proudoftheirmixedracialorigins anddidnotpractice anyformofracial discrimination, hencearticles 2,paragraph 1(a),(b),(c)and(d),5and7ofthe Convention werenotapplicable toVenezuela. 85.Therepresentative gaveadescription ofVenezuela's legalsystem andrelevant legislation safeguarding respect forconstitutional rights andproviding the guarantees fortheirrealization. Healsoprovided further information on Venezuela's policy towardsitsindigenous populations, pointing outthatmembers of theindigenous communities werefullVenezuelan citizens withallensuing rights andthepolicy hadbeendesigned tointegrate themfullyintonational life. 86.Heconsidered thattheCommittee's annualreporttotheGeneral Assembly (A/40/18) reflected inparagraphs 561,564and566issuesthatweretotally unrelated totheConvention's fundamental cbjective orcontained requests formore information thanwasrequired underarticle 9oftheConvention. Inthat connection therepresentative statedthattheGovernment ofVenezuela didnot believe thatasovereign Statecouldbesubjected toquestioning aboutthe implementation ofitsdomestic legislation inrespect ofrights andobligations relating toitscitizens ortoaliens. 87.Members oftheCommittee commended theformalpresentation ofthereport and theintroduction bytherepresentative oftherepolting State, whohadclarified a numberofissues andprovided averybroadbasisfordiscussion andreflection not onlyontheinformation contained inthereportbutindeed ontheroleandaimsof theCommittee itself. Inrelation withthelatterissuemembers wereofthe opinion thatitwasclearthatafundamental difference ofopinion existed between theCommittee andtheGovernment ofVenezuela. Accordingly, theygavefurther clarifications oftheCommittee's methods ofwork,thenatureofStateparty obligations undertheConvention andthereporting obligations ofStatesparties in general, andthoseofVenezuela inparticular. 88.Members commented atlength upontwoassertions inthereportaccording to whichtherewasnoracialdiscrimination inVenezuela, andthatVenezuela had ratified theConvention outofsolidarity withotherStates(para. 8ofthereport). -26-89.Concerning theapplication ofarticles 2and5oftheConvention, members congratulated Venezuela onitspolicy towards indigenous populations andformulated anumberofquestions onthatsUbject. Theywishedtoknow,interalia,whathad becomeofthe19groupsthathadnotparticipated inthebilingual programme; whether theVenezuelan Government wasawarethatotherLatinAmerican countries had recently abolished alanguage examination inSpanish asarequirement for registration asanelector inordertocomplywitharticle 5(c)oftheConvention, howmanyindigenous people hadparticipated inthedecisions referred toin paragraphs 24and25ofthereport; andhowmanyindigenous people wereinvolved in theNational Agrarian Institute. Theyexpressed thehopethatVenezuela's next reportwouldprovide moreinformation abouttherightofindigenous peopletovote andtostandforelection, andaboutthenumberofindigenous Venezuelans who becameoffice-holders. 90.Withreference toarticle 3oftheConvention, members congratulated Venezuela onitsposition regarding apartheid inSouthAfrica. 91.Withregardtoarticle 4oftheConvention, itwasnotedthattherewasno progress orchangeinVenezuela's position. Venezuelan lawstilldidnotrecognize actsofracialdiscrimination asoffences punishable bylawandconsequently the conclusion couldbedrawnthatVenezuela hQ~notcomplied witharticle 4ofthe Convention. Itwaspointed outthat,evenif,asstatedbytheGovernment, no racialdiscrimination existed inVenezuela, thatdidnotabsolve Venezuela from complying withthecompulsory provisions ofarticle 4oftheConvention, under
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report from a committee discussing the ninth periodic report of Venezuela on its compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The report focuses on Venezuela's policies and laws related to racial discrimination, indigenous populations, and human rights. The committee members discuss the country's stance on racial discrimination, its treatment of indigenous populations, and its compliance with the Convention.

**Category**
Human rights