GENEVA (4 July 2019) – A UN human rights report published today urges the Government of Venezuela to take immediate,
concrete measures to halt and remedy the grave violations of economic, social, civil, political and cultural rights
documented in the country.
The report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that if the situation does not improve, the
unprecedented outflow of Venezuelan migrants and refugees will continue, and the living conditions of those who remain
will worsen.
The report, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council, states that over the last decade – and especially since 2016 – the
Government and its institutions have implemented a strategy “aimed at neutralizing, repressing and criminalizing
political opponents and people critical of the Government.” A series of laws, policies and practices has restricted the
democratic space, dismantled institutional checks and balances, and allowed patterns of grave violations. The report
also highlights the impact of the deepening economic crisis that has left people without the means to fulfil their
fundamental rights to food and health, among others.
Based on 558 interviews with victims and witnesses of human rights violations and the deteriorating economic situation,
in Venezuela and eight other countries, as well as other sources, the report covers the period from January 2018 to May
2019.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet was able to visit the country from 19 to 21 June to meet a
wide range of actors, including President Nicolas Maduro, other senior Government officials, the President of the
National Assembly, civil society, business representatives, academics and other stakeholders, as well as victims and
their families. A team of two UN human rights officers remained in the country after her visit, with an agreed mandate
to provide technical assistance and advice, and to monitor the human rights situation.
“During my visit to Venezuela, I was able to hear first-hand the accounts of victims of State violence and their demands
for justice. I have faithfully conveyed their voices, and those of civil society, as well as the human rights violations
documented in this report, to the relevant authorities,” High Commissioner Bachelet said.
“We have the Government’s commitment to work with us to resolve some of the thorniest issues – including the use of
torture and access to justice – and to allow us full access to detention facilities. The situation is complex, but this
report contains clear recommendations on immediate steps that can be taken to stop ongoing violations, bring justice to
victims, and create a space for meaningful discussion. We are ready to work constructively with all relevant
stakeholders, and to continue to advocate for the rights of all the people of Venezuela, no matter what their political
affiliations may be.”
The report details how State institutions have been steadily militarized over the past decade. During the reporting
period, civil and military forces have allegedly been responsible for arbitrary detentions; ill-treatment and torture of
people critical of the Government and their relatives; sexual and gender-based violence in detention and during visits;
and excessive use of force during demonstrations.*
Pro-government armed civilian groups, known as colectivos, have contributed to the deteriorating situation by exercising
social control and helping repress demonstrations. The UN Human Rights Office has documented 66 deaths during protests
between January and May 2019, 52 attributable to Government security forces or colectivos.
The incidence of alleged extrajudicial killings by security forces, particularly the special forces (FAES), in the
context of security operations has been shockingly high, the report states. In 2018, the Government registered 5,287
killings, purportedly for “resistance to authority,” during such operations. Between 1 January and 19 May this year,
another 1,569 people were killed, according to Government figures. Other sources suggest the figures may be much higher.
The report also notes that as of 31 May 2019, 793 people remained arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, including 58
women, and that so far this year, 22 deputies of the National Assembly, including its President, have been stripped of
their parliamentary immunity.
While the High Commissioner welcomed the recent release of 62 political prisoners, she called on the authorities to
release all the others in detention or otherwise deprived of their liberty, for peacefully exercising their fundamental
rights.
The report highlights that the majority of victims of human rights violations have not had effective access to justice
and remedies.
“According to interviewees, few people file complaints for fear of reprisals and lack of trust in the justice system,”
the report states. Those that do, mainly women, face pervasive obstacles, with no progress in the majority of the
investigations. “The Attorney-General’s Office has regularly failed to comply with its obligation to investigate and
prosecute perpetrators, and the Ombudsperson has remained silent vis-à-vis human rights violations.”
On freedom of expression, the report notes that the space for free and independent media has shrunk through the banning
and closure of media outlets, and detention of independent journalists: “Over the past years, the Government has
attempted to impose a communicational hegemony by enforcing its own version of events and creating an environment that
curtails independent media.”
While the economy of Venezuela was in crisis well before any sectoral sanctions were imposed, the report says that the
latest economic sanctions linked to oil exports are further exacerbating the effects of the crisis.
In addition, it says, the State is violating its obligations to ensure the rights to food and health. The progressive
scarcity and unaffordability of food have meant fewer meals of lower nutritional value, high levels of malnutrition, and
a particularly adverse impact on women, some of whom reported spending an average of 10 hours per day queuing for food.
Despite the Government’s efforts to tackle the situation through social programmes, large sections of the population do
not have access to food distribution, and interviewees accused the authorities of excluding them because they are not
Government supporters.
The health situation in the country is dire, with hospitals lacking staff, supplies, medicines and electricity to keep
vital machinery running. The report cites the 2019 National Hospital Survey, which found that between November 2018 and
February 2019, 1,557 people died because of lack of supplies in hospitals.
The report also sheds light on the disproportionate impact of the humanitarian situation on indigenous peoples, and
their loss of control of their land for various reasons, including the presence of military forces, and because of the
presence of organised criminal gangs and armed groups. “Mining, particularly in Amazonas and Bolivar…has resulted in
violations of various collective rights, including rights to maintain customs, traditional ways of life, and a spiritual
relationship with their land,” the report states.
The report sets out a series of recommendations for the Government on the key human rights violations documented by the
UN Human Rights Office.
“I sincerely hope the authorities will take a close look at all the information included in this report and will follow
its recommendations. We should all be able to agree that all Venezuelans deserve a better life, free from fear and with
access to adequate food, water, healthcare, housing and all other basic human needs,” Bachelet said.
“A Catholic priest in Caracas said to me: ‘This is not about politics, but about the suffering of the people.’ This
report too is not about politics, geopolitics, international relations or anything other than being about the human
rights to which every Venezuelan is entitled.”
“I call on all those with the power and influence – within Venezuela and elsewhere – to work together, and to make the
necessary compromises to resolve this all-consuming crisis. My Office stands ready to continue doing its part.”