End impunity for Venezuela’s human rights violators

Fuente: http://www.miamiherald.com

BY IRWIN COTLER

AND JARED GENSER

JGENSER@PERSEUS-STRATEGIES.COM

02/16/2015 7:36 PM Updated: 

 02/17/2015 12:54 PM

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article10489547.html#storylink=cpy

A little over a year ago, Venezuelans took to the streets when student leaders organized a massive protest with opposition politicians to respond to the rapidly deteriorating economic and security situation. The protestors called for the resignation of President Nicolás Maduro. On that day and over the subsequent months, the government responded with an iron fist, killing 43 people, arresting more than 3,000 and sending more than 70 to jail.

Reports from Venezuela today are sobering: Shortages of basic supplies have resulted in the rationing of staples, hours-long lines for groceries and the transformation of supermarkets into military zones. The economy is set to shrink another 7 percent in 2015, with inflation over 60 percent. A person is murdered approximately every 20 minutes. And with the decline in oil prices, the country is on the verge of default. Yet especially as the domestic situation deteriorates, the international community must demand Maduro respect the human rights of his people, including immediately releasing all political prisoners in the country.

Kevin Spacey: SOS Venezuela

www.kevinspacey.com

By Kevin Spacey

April 5, 2014

For many weeks now, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets in protest. 

These students were standing for basic human freedoms and engaging in the right to protest, which is a sacred right whether in Boston, Belarus, or Venezuela. The government of Venezuela responded with heavy-handed repression. Within two weeks Leopoldo Lopez, the leader of the opposition party, Voluntad Popular, called for nationwide peaceful demonstrations to address the problems facing the country. These problems include chronic food shortages, the highest inflation in the world and ongoing censorship of the media. Even the Oscars were not allowed to be broadcast – for the first time in Venezuelan history. 

More than 1,400 students were arrested, there are more than 40 confirmed cases of torture and Leopoldo Lopez still sits in a Venezuelan military prison. He has urged the students to exercise their legal rights to peaceful protest and free speech and he repeatedly emphasized they must do so without violence. President Maduro has blamed Lopez for the violence that has beset the country and ordered his arrest on charges of murder, arson and terrorism. To date, the government has presented no evidence of the charges against him and their legal case is falling apart.

John Kerry says Venezuela 'terror campaign' must end

The government says opposition mayors have to act against the street barricades in some areas

13 March 2014 Last updated at 20:20 ET

www.bbc.com

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the government of Venezuela must end its "terror campaign against its own citizens".

Mr Kerry said the Organisation of American States (OAS), allies and neighbours should demand accountability of Venezuela over the protests.

Authorities say 28 people have died since they began more than a month ago.

Venezuela accuses the United States of helping "right-wing fascists" to plot a coup with the unrest.

Mr Kerry's remarks are the starkest from Washington since the protests began.

Busting the myth of democracy in Venezuela

 Caracas Chronicles                                                                                                   
February 25, 2014

By Anabella Abadi y Bárbara Lira (The authors are from the consulting firm ODH)

FACT: on February 18, 2014, after a week of intense anti-government demonstrations all across the country, President Maduro attended a rally with oil-sector workers. In his speech he said “in Venezuela there are full democratic freedoms. We just had elections 8 weeks ago, or am I lying?” Minutes later he added “I ask the whole world, where in the world have there been 19 elections in the last 15 years?”

This has been a central message of the revolutionary government, gaining particular strength in the last few months. But, how truthful is it?

CONTEXT: Article 2 of the Venezuelan Constitution defines the country as a democratic state.  Article 63 establishes that “voting is a right,” and article 66 establishes that voters “have the right to have their representatives offer transparent and regular public accounts about their management efforts, according to the program submitted.” These articles are the basis of the idea that Venezuela is a democracy.

Since February 12, 2014, the country has been living under intense political tension marked by protests, violence and repression. Participants and promoters of these protests have upheld various motives and objectives -generally lacking clarity- but with a common denominator: they oppose Nicolas Maduro’s government because of the country’s serious inflation, shortages and criminal violence.

After almost two weeks of protests, there are complaints about violations of Constitutional and other Human Rights, media censorship and blockages to social networks, and the excessive use of force by the Central Government, including arbitrary detentions and alleged torture.

DEBUNKING THE ARGUMENT: equating multiple elections with the existence of a democratic state has been a key message of the Central Government for the past 15 years. In fact, elections –an average of 1.3 per year since 1999- have been used to justify all of the Central Government’s acts, and to answer to criticism about its political model. But, are elections the only element of a democracy?

Venezuela: Investigate Violence During Protests

Source: www.hrw.org

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

(Washington, D.C.) – Venezuelan authorities should investigate the violence during demonstrations across the country on February 12, 2014 promptly and impartially, Human Rights Watch said today. Investigations should not be used as a pretext for prosecuting political opponents or limiting free speech. 

At least three demonstrators were killed and more than 60 others injured during clashes with security forces. Senior government officials blamed the opposition leader, Leopoldo López, for the killings, and a Caracas judge issued an arrest warrant for him, local media reported. The international cable news channel NTN24 was taken off the air in the afternoon in response to its coverage of the protests, the station reported.  

“What Venezuela urgently needs is for these killings to be investigated and the killers brought to justice, no matter their political affiliation,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “What Venezuela does not need is authorities scapegoating political opponents or shutting down news outlets whose coverage they don’t like.”

REDLAD: Military and Police Crackdown Against Activists and Students in Venezuela

Source: http://www.redlad.org/node/210

MILITARY AND POLICE CRACKDOWN AGAINST ACTIVISTS AND STUDENTS IN VENEZUELA.

February 2014.

*Unofficial translation done only for the purpose of being understood.

The Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (REDLAD) warns about the wave of persecution and military repression in Venezuela recently deployed against youth, students and activists who defend human rights.

Shortages, insecurity, overwhelming inflation rates, the weakening of democracy, authoritarian policies, the persecution of civil society and the media, and the violation of fundamental freedoms and human rights are only part of the causes that have generated several youth organizations throughout the country, with several days in peaceful demonstrations demanding the government restore their rights.