U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet is expressing concern over Venezuela’s deteriorating economic conditions, exacerbated by reports of human rights violations and the loss of civic and political rights. Bachelet has presented an update on the situation to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
U.N. rights chief Michele Bachelet deplores the lack of improvement in Venezuela since her last update in September. She says her office continues to receive reports of extrajudicial killings. In early January, she says, at least 14 people were killed during a police operation. She is calling for prompt, independent investigations to ensure accountability and prevent similar atrocities from occurring.
Bachelet criticizes the government’s increasingly repressive measures, which, she says, are stifling fundamental freedoms and dissent. She says her office has documented at least 66 cases of intimidation, harassment and criminalization of journalists, human rights defenders, and humanitarian workers since September.
She says supporters of the opposition, including elected members of the National Assembly and their relatives also have been targeted. She speaks through an interpreter.
“Currently, five activists continue to face charges related to terrorism and money laundering for having provided humanitarian assistance as part of the U.N.’s Humanitarian Response Plan" Bachelet said. "More NGOs are the object of investigations on similar grounds. The mere threat of detention has a paralyzing effect on all those engaged in legitimate and essential activities.”
Bachelet says Venezuelans face a lack of such basic services as medical care, water, gas, food and fuel. She adds the scarcity of essential goods is sparking protests, making the humanitarian situation even worse. She spoke through an interpreter.
“Some associations allege that average wages would now be under the equivalent of one U.S. dollar per month, while the price of the food basket is estimated to have increased by over 1,800% over the past year," Bachelet said. "About one-third of Venezuelans now faces food insecurity.”
Bachelet says people are resorting to desperate measures. An example of that was the death of at least 28 Venezuelan migrants, who lost their lives when their boat sank on the way to Trinidad and Tobago in December.
Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Hector Constant Rosales, says his government has taken note of the high commissioner’s concerns and will provide a detailed response in due course. In the meantime, he says he rejects the high commissioner’s report as lacking substance. He says it is unbalanced and contains unverified information that feeds into a media campaign to harm his country.