CARACAS.- The international organization for Human Rights, International Amnesty (AI) denounced the incessant escalation of persecution and repression registered in Venezuela, which continues to be used as a tool of control by the Nicolás Maduro regime in the midst of a controversial electoral scenario.
In a new public statement, presented this Monday, April 15, the organization referred to the increase in forced disappearances, misuse of criminal law, violations of the guarantees of due process and fair trial, stigmatizing campaigns, and possible acts of torture in against people perceived as critical of Maduro.
The attack against members and leaders of the political party stands out mainly. Sell Venezuelaled by María Corina Machado, who was elected as a presidential candidate in the October 2023 opposition primaries with more than 90% of the votes, and has been disqualified by the dictatorship from assuming public office for 15 years.
In the last two months, police forces at the service of the regime have arbitrarily and unjustly detained seven members of the team closest to Machado, among whom are the national coordinator Henry Alviarez and the national political secretary Dignora Hernández, in addition to the regional coordinators Emill Brandt from Barinas, Juan Freites from Vargas, Luis Camacaro from Yaracuy, Guillermo López from Trujillo and Joe Villamizar from Aragua, who were accused of alleged conspiratorial acts.
In addition, the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office also issued arrest warrants for six other collaborators of the opposition leader, including Pedro Urruchurtu, International Relations coordinator for Machado’s campaign; Magalli Meda, campaign manager; Humberto Villalobos, electoral campaign coordinator; Claudia Macero, press officer; Omar González, Machado’s campaign manager in the state of Anzoátegui; and Fernando Martínez Mottola, advisor to the Unitary Platform.
These are refugees in the Argentine embassy in Venezuela as guests, waiting for a safe passage that will allow them to leave the South American nation without being victims of harassment by Nicolás Maduro.
Ley anti-fascism
The document also points out that the Chavista dictatorship has approved draft repressive laws, which seek to punish and persecute civil society organizations and political dissidents. Such is the case of the “anti-fascism” law approved in the first discussion in the 2020 National Assembly in favor of Maduro, which in the opinion of the opposition majority and different organizations, will reinforce the repression against his opponents before this year’s electoral process.
This law provides for penalties of up to 12 years in prison for promoting “violent actions”, the dissemination of prohibited messages in the media and social networks, as well as criminalization and persecution through political disqualifications and fines for those who think and have different opinions.
In this sense, the director for the Americas of Amnesty International, Ana Piquer, maintained that in the South American country, 2024 has begun with an alarming escalation in the policy of repression established by the tyranny of Nicolás Maduro to try to curtail civic space, critical voices and the political opposition.”
Another aspect highlighted in the text is the increase in arbitrary arrests against human rights defenders and opposition activists, such as the case of the lawyer and activist Rocío San Miguel, who has been kidnapped for more than two months by the Venezuelan dictatorship accused of charges of “treason”, “terrorism” and “conspiracy” linked to the alleged “White Bracelet” plan that sought to assassinate Nicolás Maduro.
In turn, they recalled the case of human rights activist Javier Tarazona, detained in 2021 and tried for accusations of “terrorism”, “incitement to hatred” and “treason to the country”, after denouncing serious human rights violations in Venezuela. .
From International Amnesty They demand that the Venezuelan authorities definitively end this policy of repression, “the immediate and unconditional release of all people detained for political reasons, the withdrawal of bills that attack civic space, and collaboration with international scrutiny mechanisms.” and accountability.”
International attention
Likewise, the organization warns that the situation in Venezuela must receive maximum international attention so that the repressive mechanisms of the Venezuelan regime do not limit the rights of citizens to participate in the public affairs of that country.
In particular, the presidential elections called for next July 28 in which the registration of the opposition leader María Corina Machado and her candidate Corina Yoris before the National Electoral Council (CNE) as presidential candidates of the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) were not allowed. ), main Venezuelan opposition bloc.
They emphasized that the international community must support those who denounce and demand their rights in Venezuela, while highlighting the recent update before the Human Rights Council of the United Nations Independent International Mission to Determine the Facts about Venezuela (MIIDH). , presented in March 2024, in which it was stated that, currently, Venezuela is in “a phase of reactivation of the most violent form of repression by the authorities.”
@Lydr05
Source: With information from Amnesty International
