An investigation carried out by the United Nations (UN) mission in Venezuela concluded that Nicolás Maduro’s government committed crimes against humanity during the presidential election period.
The so-called UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela released, this Tuesday (15), a 161-page report with the main conclusions of a “contextual, factual and legal analysis of serious human rights violations and crimes committed in the country between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024”.
This period ranges from the repressive actions of the Chavista government before the elections to the mass protests mobilized by the opposition after the National Electoral Council (CNE) gave Maduro victory.
The UN mission points out that violations and crimes committed by the Venezuelan government “include arbitrary detention, torture, short-term enforced disappearances and sexual violence – all occurring as part of a coordinated plan to silence critics and perceived opponents.”
The report concludes that some of these serious human rights violations investigated qualify as crimes against humanity.
“Furthermore, such violations, committed with discriminatory intent, amount to the crime against humanity of persecution for political reasons based on the identity of the victims,” highlights the mission.
Minors among the victims
Among the victims analyzed by investigators are children and people with disabilities.
For example, illustrated case number 14 presented in the report, reports two girls, aged 15 and 17, whose identities were preserved, who were arrested by the Bolivarian guard while walking in their hometown.
Investigators highlight that “at the place where they were detained, no protests were taking place at that time”.
A witness present at the scene reported that the guards “pulled them by the hair, beat them and covered their faces to take them away”.
According to one of the mission sources, some officers forced one of the girls “to lower her pants and touched her genitals, in front of other detainees and other male guards.”
“Subsequently, the two girls were transferred to a room with all other detainees, including adult women and men, where they remained for a week,” the report added.
“Serious crimes” and 25 dead
“The Mission reported that detainees are threatened, including with acts of torture, to incriminate themselves for serious crimes, such as terrorism. The lack of evidence and the absence of lawyers of their choice place victims in a particularly vulnerable position, as self-incrimination can result in disproportionately high prison sentences. Particularly serious is the situation of detained children and adolescents, who face the same threats and are not receiving the special protection measures required by international law”, summarized the mission.
The investigation points to 25 people who were killed, including two children, in the protests that erupted after the election, in addition to hundreds of injuries and thousands of arrests.
The UN mission also stated that it “reiterates its appeal for the State to [venezuelano] release all individuals arbitrarily detained and respect both the physical and psychological integrity of those detained and their right to due process.”
The investigators said they will continue with the work already started on this period, as requested by the UN Human Rights Council.
“Dictatorships are useless and end badly”, says Pope about Venezuela
This content was originally published in Venezuela: Maduro government committed crimes against humanity in the election, says UN on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
