UN General Assembly
1981

117. Recent events have proved us to be right. We have maintained that oil prices are not responsible for inflation and the West's economic crisis. For some time the in-crease in oil prices has been checked; the price has even dropped in some instances. But the inflationary process has not stopped, for the simple reason that it is the result of the economic policies of the various governments. 118. Venezuela, as a developing country, has been willing to respond to calls for international solidarity. Our principles are devoid of selfishness, and our objectives of progress are not and never will be based on the exploitation of the needs of others.