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VENEZUELA-REFUGEE-RIGHTS-UN
Nearly five million have fled Venezuela as abuses continue: UN
GENEVA, March 10, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Some 4.9 million people have left
Venezuela, wracked by years of economic and political crisis, the UN rights
chief said Tuesday, decrying ongoing attacks on opposition politicians,
protesters and journalists.
Providing an update on the human rights situation in Venezuela to the UN
Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet warned that “political tensions and
acts of violence by security forces and government supporters against
opposition parliamentarians have continued” since her last report in
September.
She lamented that opposition parliamentarian Gilber Caro and his assistant
Victor Ugas remained detained in an unknown location since their arrest late
last year, while congressman Ismael Leon remained under house arrest.
“My office has also documented attacks on political opponents,
demonstrators and journalists, without follow-up action by the security
forces,” Bachelet said.
She also pointed out that security forces had since the beginning of the
year been blocking opposition politicians from accessing the parliament.
“In addition, my Office continues to receive allegations of cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment at the headquarters of the General Directorate of
Military Counter Intelligence in Caracas,” she said.
The UN rights chief warned that unions were also under attack, with union
leaders facing evictions and arbitrary detentions.
These abuses come as Venezuelans face a towering political crisis, with
opposition leader Juan Guaido recognised as interim president by more than 50
countries, including the United States.
They are also suffering the worst economic and social crisis in recent
history, with medicine and food shortages common.
Bachelet pointed to UN statistics showing a full “4.9 million people have
left the country.”
She voiced concern over punishing sanctions slapped on the country by the
administration of US President Donald Trump, including an oil embargo.
This, she warned, had severely hit the government’s “resources for social
spending” at a time when 2.3 million people in the country are “severely food
insecure”, and another seven million are considered “moderately food
insecure.”
“Despite exceptions to allow imports of medicines, food and humanitarian
supplies, public services and the general population continue to suffer from
the impact of strict financial sector scrutiny,” Bachelet said.
BSS/AFP/RY/20:44 hrs