The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accuses Nicolas Maduro and his government of murdering and persecuting opponents. A runaway army officer reveals torture in the security prisons. He also claims that Maduro wants to intimidate the opposition leader, Juan Guaido.
Michelle Bachelet was president of Chile in 2006-2010. Today, the High Commissioner for Human Rights holds the position. At the invitation of Maduro she came to Venezuela to find out what the situation in the country really looks like. Now she has published part of the report in Geneva, which is being prepared by her delegation who has been in Venezuela for several days. It is not known why Maduro gave her permission to come. It is possible that he hoped that her leftist political views would make him stand in his defense.
Only in January police and squadrons killed 37 people in Caracas, and over 201 people died in 2018 – says the report. Murders and executions are repeated in a similar pattern: they occur during illegal raids organized by FAES troops, which later claim that the victims died as a result of armed clashes. Witnesses say, however, that the attacked people were defenseless.
According to the report, Venezuelans suffer not only from the repression of the regime, but also from the collapse of health care, education and loss of food: As a result of this crisis, 3 million citizens left the country for work, bread and security, and 1 million children stopped going to school due to lack of teachers.
Venezuela: "There is a need for common agreement on a political solution.. with actions to improve a wide range of urgent human rights issues. "
–@UNHumanRights chief @mbachelet at #HRC40 https://t.co/tY42pQ1QbC pic.twitter.com/Xz9l2PZPi1— United Nations (@UN) March 20, 2019