OVCS warned of increased repression following protests in Venezuela

• The NGO documented 915 citizen protests between July 29 and 30 | Main photo: EFE

The Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict (OVCS) and the Center for Defenders and Justice (CDJ) warned on Saturday, August 3, about an increase in repression following protests in Venezuela against the official result of the presidential elections, where the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner.

In a statement, the NGOs warned “with concern” of the increase in violence and repression, resulting from the actions of state security forces, armed civilians, known as colectivos, and groups that make up the Popular System of Protection for Peace.

They added that, following the protests that began on July 29, the participation of armed civilians was reported, carrying out repressive actions, intimidation, harassment and social control in coordination or with the acquiescence of officials from the State security forces.

Photo: EFE

More than 900 protests in Venezuela in two days

The OVCS documented 915 citizen protests across the country between July 29 and 30, with a total of 138 demonstrations repressed, and in which “the presence of armed civilians, collectives, was observed in at least 119.”

“We call on the international community and international human rights protection bodies to monitor the events that have occurred in Venezuela and call on the Venezuelan State to guarantee, respect and protect the exercise of civil and political rights,” they said.

They also called for an end to the use of armed civilians in public order control, for security agencies to comply with the standards of progressive and differentiated use of force, and for the protection of people’s rights to life and integrity.

Protests began in various parts of the country last Monday, when the CNE declared Maduro the winner, a result that the largest opposition coalition – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – considers fraudulent, since it claims to have more than 80% of the electoral records that – they insist – prove the victory of its standard-bearer, the former presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia.

The result was ratified this Friday with 96.87% of the votes counted, according to the balance sheet presented by the CNE, in which Maduro was re-elected with 51.95% of the votes, while González Urrutia obtained 43.18% of the votes.

According to the Venezuelan government, there are more than 1,200 people arrested for these protests, some of whom – it said – are “terrorists.”

Photo: EFE

At least 11 dead and nearly 900 arrested in protests

For its part, the NGO Foro Penal reported on Saturday, August 3, that they have documented 891 detainees, of which 89 are teenagers; and 11 dead in the context of post-election protests since July 29.

Alfredo Romero, vice president director of Foro Penal, published the update of the figures on his X account. The image of the report indicates that where there were more arrests was in the Capital District, Anzoátegui and Carabobo.

The arrests took place in these 23 entities:

-Capital District: 149

-Anzoategui: 109

-Carabobo: 135

-Miranda: 72

-Barinas: 51

-Zulia: 42

-New Sparta: 42

-Lara: 31

-Portuguese: 40

-Aragua: 23

-Merida: 20

-La Guaira: 23

-Yaracuy: 16

-Táchira: 44

-Trujillo: 19

-Guarico: 14

-Cojedes: 11

-Amazonas: 9

-Monagas: 11

-Bolívar: 13

-Apure: 10

-Falcon: 6

-Sucre: 1

Likewise, the non-governmental organization (NGO) reported that the deaths were recorded in the Capital District (5) and the states of Yaracuy (2), Zulia (2), Aragua (1) and Táchira (1).

With information from EFE

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