A report presented by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) reports on successive human rights violations recorded during the electoral process and post-elections in Venezuela and describes the situation as a “repressive strategy of the regime to prevent the political participation of the opposition.” .
The IACHR presented its findings right in the middle of its visit to the US capital former candidate Edmundo Gonzálezwho according to the opposition won the presidential elections by a large majority, but which were taken from him.
Commissioner Gloria De Mees, Rapporteur for Venezuela before the organization in Washington, commented to the Voice of America that this report details the existence of a strategy to “suppress the political participation of the opposition” in the South American country and that this has led to “preventing the possibility of free, fair, competitive and transparent elections; and instill fear in the population to maintain their control of power.”
De Mees also said that the IACHR report ratifies its “unwavering commitment and solidarity with the Venezuelan people, and once again calls on the international community to recognize the seriousness of the human rights crisis in the country.”
He also asked to maintain attention on Venezuela where a “further escalation of repression” is not ruled out, and therefore encourages the international community to implement all diplomatic and institutional mechanisms that contribute to the “return of democracy.”
Report data
According to the IACHR, the repressive escalation began in the pre-electoral stage by hindering the participation of the opposition, when the government used its “control of various institutions” such as the Prosecutor’s Office, the Comptroller General of the Republic and the Supreme Court of Justice.
“This resulted in arbitrary arrests of opposition members, human rights defenders and social leaders, and acts of harassment, persecution and political disqualification against those perceived as rivals,” he said.
Then there would come presidential election day on July 28 and the night of the count when the National Electoral Council (CNE), “suspended the transmission of the results and refused to publish the voting records that supported the announced results. “This generated a strong perception of fraud among the population.”
The protests demanding respect for the results, according to the IACHR, unleashed a wave of “repression and increased violence” that led to the repression of at least 300 spontaneous demonstrations “by the forces of the regime.”
The report also highlighted that as part of “Operation Tun Tun” at least 25 deaths were recorded, “more than 2,000 arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, torture and other serious human rights violations.”
The Commission, part of the Organization of American States (OAS), also noted the multiple warrantless raids and mass arrests of citizens, “in addition to resorting to acts of systematic violence against protesters.”
The IACHR considered the situation in Venezuela as “State terrorism” as a result of the co-option of institutions by the Executive branch, “corruption and control of public powers.”
For the Commission, the circumstances surrounding the July 28 elections constitute an “alteration of the constitutional order” with restrictions on the political rights of citizens, which is why it considers that the re-election of Nicolás Maduro does not enjoy democratic legitimacy.
“The Inter-American Commission highlights that the Venezuelan case clearly illustrates the intrinsic relationship between human rights, democracy and the rule of law. These three elements make up a triad in which each one is defined, complements and makes sense based on the others,” the report mentioned.
And he warned that the collapse of that triad “caused by the co-option of public powers by the Executive Branch, facilitated the establishment of a de facto regime” in Venezuela.
Call to the international community
Commissioner Gloria de Mees, in her capacity as Rapporteur for Venezuela, explained to the VOA that the situation of the South American country is a call to reflection for the rest of the continent.
And that the organization “will continue to alert the international community about the human rights situation in Venezuela and will use all its protection mechanisms to assist those who need it.”
The official assured that for 65 years, the body, based in Washington, has played a key role in helping some countries in the region “to overcome dictatorships, military coups and serious violations of human rights,” which is why the Venezuela’s situation is not an exception for the IACHR.
The report presented this Tuesday arose at the request – as stated by the IACHR in the executive summary of the document – of numerous national and international human rights organizations that have their attention focused on Venezuela, given the magnitude of the events.
He also mentioned that the reliability of the data contained in the document has been obtained from primary sources, with testimonies received through the Special Mechanism for Monitoring of Venezuela (MESEVE), which brings together petitions and precautionary and provisional measures issued by the Commission.
Much of the information has been aired in public hearings and the annual thematic reports presented by the organization in its continuous monitoring of the Venezuelan crisis.
The government of Venezuela, which has rejected the observance of international organizations such as the United Nations on human rights violations, considering them as “erratic drift,” has not yet commented on the recent IACHR report.
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