September 17, 2024/ 6:39 AM EDT/ CBS/AP
What to understand after U.S. takes Maduro’s airplane
What to understand after U.S. takes Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s aircraft 04:16
Geneva — Independent U.N. human rights specialists stated in a brand-new report Tuesday that their findings reveal Venezuela’s federal government has actually heightened using “harshest and most violent” tools of repression following the challenged July governmental election. The main outcomes of the July 28 vote have actually been commonly slammed as undemocratic, nontransparent and intended mainly at preserving President Nicolás Maduro’s position in power.
In its report, the fact-finding objective on Venezuela, commissioned by the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council, knocked rights offenses consisting of approximate detentions, abuse, and sexual and gender-based violence by the nation’s security forces that “taken as an entire, make up the criminal activity versus humankind of persecution on political premises.”
“During the duration covered by this report, and particularly after the governmental election of July 28, 2024, the state reactivated and magnified the harshest and most violent systems of its repressive device,” stated the specialists in the report, which covered a 1 year duration through Aug. 31.
Demonstrators challenge riot authorities throughout a demonstration versus Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s federal government in Puerto La Cruz, Anzoategui state, Venezuela, July 29, 2024, a day after the Venezuelan governmental election. CARLOS LANDAETA/AFP/Getty
The findings echo issues from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Human Rights Watch, and others about Venezuela and its democracy, consisting of repression before and after the extremely expected vote and the subsequent flight into exile of Venezuela’s opposition leader Edmundo González.
Marta Valiñas, head of the professionals group, stated that in between July 29 and Aug. 6, Venezuelan authorities acknowledged they detained more than 2,200 individuals.
“Of these, we have actually validated the arrest of a minimum of 158 kids– some with impairments,” Valiñas informed press reporters at a press conference Tuesday in Geneva, keeping in mind that some had actually been implicated of severe criminal offenses, such as terrorism.
“This phenomenon is something brand-new and incredibly distressing,” she stated. “We are dealing with a methodical, collaborated and intentional repression by the Venezuelan federal government which reacts to a mindful strategy to silence any type of dissent.”
Amongst those apprehended just recently are 3 U.S. nationals, 2 Spaniards and a Czech resident, all implicated of outlining to destabilize Venezuela through “violent actions,” the federal government stated on Sept. 14, including that numerous weapons were supposedly taken.
Among the Americans is an American Navy sailor apprehended previously this month while checking out the nation on individual travel, U.S. authorities have actually verified to CBS News. The sailor is a minor officer very first class and previously a Navy SEAL who was appointed to a West Coast group, U.S. authorities stated.
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro patriots, stated he won the election with 52% of the vote. Opposition advocates gathered tally sheets from 80% of the country’s electronic ballot devices,