Following the issuance in Venezuela of the arrest warrant against Edmundo González, the opposition presidential candidate in the elections held on July 28, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported on Tuesday that There is a climate of fear in the country and expressed concern about this.
“There is a climate of fear in the country right now. We urge the government to ensure that all measures are taken measures in accordance with international human rights laws, with transparency, and take steps to resolve this dispute peacefully,” the Office spokeswoman said.
At a press conference in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani said that in Venezuela people are being arrested for demonstrating their right to political participation, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.
President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of the election in a result questioned by opposition supporters, who are demanding that electoral authorities release the results by polling station to know the number of votes that justify the president’s victory.
Edmundo González’s arrest occurred yesterday after he published poll data indicating that he had won the election by a good margin. The charges against him include falsifying documents.
Contact with the authorities
The UN Human Rights Office has no presence in Venezuela, but its spokesperson explained that has had contact and exchange with the authorities in Caracasamid street protests and criticism on social media over the election results.
“We continue to raise our concerns; we continue to urge… all parties to resolve all electoral disputes by peaceful means and there must be a climate of full protection of human rights.” all people, regardless of their political affiliation“Shamdasani stressed.
Transparency standards were not met
In the period since the elections, various UN voices have asked Venezuela to make known the details of the vote, including the results by polling station.
The UN Panel of Experts deployed in the country during the elections highlighted in its preliminary report that the National Electoral Council did not publish nor has it yet published any results to support the announcement of Nicolás Maduro’s victory, a fact orally, thus contravening the electoral legal framework.
He also noted that the Council did not meet the standards of transparency and integritydid not follow national legal and regulatory provisions, and did not meet the deadlines set.
Repression of protests
On the other hand, the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela appointed by the Human Rights Councilindicated that the electoral protests were repressed by the State, thus generating an environment of general fear. The Mission has recorded 23 deaths, most of them by firearms, between July 28 and August 8 in the context of the protests.
Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rightshas also expressed his concern, referring to the More than 2,400 detainees in the post-election period.
Add Comment