Link to article: https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/16/americas/venezuela-crimes-against-humanity-un-report-intl/index.html
The UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has recently accused Venezuela’s government of committing over 200 cases of extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions and torture.
The United Nations Mission believes that the Venezuelan government has been committing these crimes against humanity since 2014. These crimes, including random killings and the use of torture, were all in accordance to policies of the State and mostly executed by Venezuelan authorities and security forces. The Mission also reported politically driven crimes by Venezuelan intelligence agencies, targeting human rights activists and anyone with opposition to the government.
According to the UN Report, the two main security forces responsible for about 2/3 of all killings were the Scientific, Criminal, and Criminological Investigator Corps (CICPC) and the Special Action Forces (FAES) of the National Bolivarian Police (PNB). Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza criticized the UN Mission, calling it “biased.”
The UN Report calls for those responsible for its actions to be held accountable and the FAES special forces to be dismantled immediately. “Venezuelan authorities must immediately carry out prompt, effective, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into the violations and crimes, bringing perpetrators to account and providing justice for victims,” said Marta Valinas, chairperson of the UN mission.
These extrajudicial killings take place mainly in some of Venezuela’s poorest neighborhoods, where young men are chosen at random to be executed or tortured. This contributes to the income inequality in Venezuela’s society, only worsening the country’s political and economic crisis.
The UN’s accusations of Venezuela’s government will cause even more tension between President Nicolas Maduro and other countries because of his involvement in the commission of crimes. The UN Mission’s report will be presented to the Human Rights Council on September 23rd to discuss what the next steps to holding Venezuela’s government and special security forces accountable.