The government headed by Nicolás Maduro defended in Geneva the closure of the High Commissioner’s Office in Caracaswith the expulsion of its 13 members, who continue their work monitoring from Panama. The debate included the presentation of a new report from the “Independent International Fact-Finding Mission in Venezuela”, made up of 3 independent experts, created by the UN Human Rights Council in 2019.
“It is very regrettable that the Office team in Venezuela has moved away from its mandate of impartiality, carrying out inappropriate actions favoring coup plotters and terrorist groupsin contravention of the agreement that regulated it,” said the Venezuelan ambassador, Alexander Yánez. The document is secret, and its content is unknown. However, it fuels intrigue in the work of the UN Human Rights Council, the world‘s highest authority. in the matter.
“The statement of the Office that motivated the cessation of functions in Venezuela was in perfect correspondence with the story of the most radical sectors of the Venezuelan opposition… precisely those who planned or had proven participation in the assassination of the President of the Republic,” added Ambassador Yánez, without providing any evidence.
The High Commissioner headed by Volker Turk rejected the accusation as “incompatible with the letter of understanding agreed upon by the Venezuelan Government and its personnel sent to Caracas, “as a basis for our presence.” Geneva nevertheless maintains the hope of “soon fully resuming its work at the service of the Venezuelan population… in mutual respect, and frank and transparent dialogue, in strict compliance with the mandate of the Office.” Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala and Paraguay, and NGOs, spoke out in support.
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Deliberations then continued at UN Headquarters in Geneva around the “oral update” of the above-mentioned Mission of 3 experts, from the previous report of September 2023 to today. They explained that the repression in Venezuela “works through two modalitiesdepending on the context. A more violent one that is activated to silence the voices of the opposition at any costincluding through the commission of crimes, and another that creates a climate of fear and intimidation that restricts the free exercise of fundamental rights”.
Taking as reference that “on March 1, 2024, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed the authorization for the Prosecutor’s Office to resume the investigation into Crimes against humanity“, the Venezuelan authorities and the opposition had previously agreed to “hold the presidential elections scheduled” for next July 28, and “promote a peaceful and participatory electoral process.”
The agreement preceded the release of 5 prisoners, “arbitrarily detained” who “continued to face criminal proceedings.” The opposition party “Vente Venezuela” chose as its candidate Maria Corina Machado, but “a deputy from a party related to the government requested the annulment of the primary elections, alleging electoral fraud.” The Attorney General’s Office “announced a criminal investigation for treason and criminal association.” The “Supreme Court of Justice issued a precautionary measure suspending the primaries,” and then disqualified Machado.
In turn, on December 3, 2023, the government called on the population to “a consultative referendum” to support the demand for “Guyana Esequiba.” Then “the Attorney General” launched arrest warrants against 14 people, including “several political leaders in exile, 3 members of the National Committee of “Vente Venezuela” and the President of the NGO “Súmate”, detained “and released weeks later. with alternative measures”.
Nicolas Maduro
Next, the Mission recalls that, “as has happened in the past, the authorities invoke real or fictitious “conspiracies” to intimidate, detain and prosecute people who oppose or criticize the government.”. He adds that “of the 25 Venezuelans released by the government, between October and December 2023″, 16 of them were mentioned by the Mission in previous reports as victims of human rights violations.” In saying goodbye to the year 2023, “the “President Maduro indicated that he had deactivated 4 conspiracies to organize coups d’état or to assassinate him.”. He asked in response activate the “Bolivarian Fury”“, something similar to what happened in 2020.
At the beginning of 2024, the Mission reports that “the Attorney General revealed a conspiracy that he called “White Bracelet”, also attributing as its objective “to assassinate Maduro and other people.” At the same time, “the Ministry of Defense published a list of 33 soldiers who were demoted and expelled from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces accused of being involved in various conspiracies“, prelude to a “new wave of arrests” of unionists, exiles, opponents and 1 soldier: 14 in total.
The arrest “without a court order” of “the prominent human rights defender and expert in security issues”, Rocío San Miguel, on February 9 at the Maiquetía Airport, when she was preparing to travel abroad… with parallel arrests was shocking. of his daughter and 4 relatives. All were presented before a judge on February 13, “exceeding the 48-hour period established by law.” They were kidnapped in El Helicoide, “one of the torture centers already documented” by the Mission. On February 15, the UN Office in Caracas denounced the case in a tweet, demanding “procedural guarantees, including the right to defense”, perhaps the reason, in retaliation, for the closure of said UN Office in Caracas .
In addition to Rocío San Miguel, “the Mission has registered the cases of 18 other women who remain detained under the accusation of being associated or involved in “conspiracies”, which according to the authorities, have been seeking to overthrow the Government in recent years.” Added to this are the arrests of 6 members of the opposition movement, “Vente Venezuela”, 4 of whom remain imprisoned. In the opinion of the Mission, such events restrict “the increasingly fragile civic and democratic space.”
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“Starting at the end of 2023, repression has increased, with arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances and the incommunicado detention of people, which, although they occurred before, are now exacerbated by disappearances for several days, even weeks. Added to this is the increase in the number of political prisoners. Added to this is the criminalization of civil society organizations, provided for by the process of approving the NGO oversight law, which if approved, would mean their illegalization, affecting millions of people who benefit from the work they do. in the humanitarian and human rights field,” estimated Alí Daniels, from Acceso a la Justicia, from Venezuela.
“They continue forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions. In an election year like this, the closure of public spaces is advancing. The situation of economic and social rights must be addressed. The UN Human Rights Council must firmly support the return of the Office of the High Commissioner, and next September renew the mandate of the independent International Fact-Finding Mission,” concluded the Venezuelan Human Rights Education Action Action Program. , PROVEA, based in Caracas.