- The document highlighted the participation of state security forces in the repression of post-election protests in the country
The Independent International Mission of the United Nations (UN) for Venezuela stated on October 15 that it sees reasonable grounds to believe that the government of Nicolás Maduro committed crimes against humanity before, during and after the presidential elections of July 28.
The 158-page document covers the period between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.
The report concluded that security forces and pro-government armed civilian groups were responsible for murders, forced disappearances, acts of torture, and sexual and gender-based violence before, during and after the elections.
In addition, the UN mission also highlighted the persecution of opponents and the repression of post-election protests with an “unprecedented” number of detainees.
Below are the keys to the report of the UN Independent International Mission:
1. Role of State security forces in human rights violations
According to the report, officials from the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) and the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) were “massively” involved in violations of human rights such as arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force to repress protests, or cruel and degrading treatment.
2. Official statements from State institutions
The UN Independent International Mission also assured that the statements of the highest authorities of the State, especially after July 28, incited repression and contributed to generating a climate of hostility and violence.
At this point, the document mentioned statements from institutions such as the National Electoral Council (CNE), for not complying with basic measures of transparency and integrity. From the National Assembly, for approving laws that are contrary to human rights or that restrict civic and democratic space. And from the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), for operating with a lack of independence.
3. Profile of the victims
In this section, the mission’s experts concluded that the attacks against opposition and social leaders also extended to ordinary citizens who demonstrated their disagreement with the government or with the results of the presidential elections announced by the authorities.
4. Arbitrary arrests and threats
The mission chaired by Portuguese lawyer Marta Valiñas highlighted in the report that in the 10 months prior to the elections at least 48 people were arrested in relation to conspiracies invoked by the government, many of them in the so-called White Bracelet operation. While during the electoral campaign there were another 121 “massive and indiscriminate” arrests for collaborating in opposition activities.
Regarding threats, the document states that “Operation Tun Tun” was designed to threaten and generate fear in the population.
5. Arrests of minors
Among the human rights violations highlighted in the report is the detention in the post-election period of 158 minors accused of crimes such as terrorism, detained in most cases without informing their families or lawyers, which is why they remained incommunicado during days.
6. Deaths in protests
The UN mission document documents at least 25 deaths, including those of two minors, during the first days of electoral protests. Furthermore, it points out that at least eight of these cases were recorded in demonstrations where state security forces or groups of civilians related to the government used firearms.
7. Torture and sexual violence
The mission also reported numerous cases of torture and sexual violence, the latter not only against detainees but also against women and girls who had gone to detention centers to visit their relatives.
“The torture included punches, beatings with wooden boards or foam-wrapped canisters, electric shocks including to the genitals, asphyxiation with plastic bags, immersion in cold water and forced sleep deprivation,” the UN report details.
According to the document, these human rights violations represent a continuation of the same line of conduct characterized as crimes against humanity that have been documented in previous mission reports.
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