REPORTE SOBRE LA REPRESIÓN EN VENEZUELA. JULIO , AGOSTO, Y SEPTIEMBRE 2024. SITUACION PRE Y POSTELECTORAL (INGLES)

REPORTE SOBRE LA REPRESIÓN EN VENEZUELA. JULIO , AGOSTO, Y SEPTIEMBRE 2024. SITUACION PRE Y POSTELECTORAL (INGLES)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Due to the escalation in the rate of arrests for political purposes in the last three months, we have decided to group, in a single document, the information on repression reported within the period from July to September, in order to facilitate reading and understanding regarding the current situation of repression for political reasons in Venezuela.

On July 28, presidential elections were held in Venezuela, for the next constitutional period of 6 years. The main candidates for this election were Nicolás Maduro, for the Great Patriotic Pole and Edmundo González Urrutia for the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), supported by the leader of the opposition, María Corina Machado.

In the early hours of July 29, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the elections with 51.20% of the votes, while the opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia would have obtained 44.2% of the popular support, as reported by the CNE and without showing the tally sheets.

After that announcement, on the same day 29, a series of protests began in the country against the announced results, due to the questioning and discontent of citizens and opposition sectors. In addition to the above, María Corina Machado said she had the minutes that showed the triumph of Edmundo González Urrutia, which were disseminated on a website.

On July 30, Nicolás Maduro on national television from a meeting with the Council of State and the Council of Defense of the Nation, announced, among other points, the following: “…deployment of the special plan for the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and the police forces to carry out patrols and protection of streets, avenues, urbanizations and communities against these violent “commanders.”

He approved a plan for the “protection of the Venezuelan people,” in the face of the actions of cronies intimidating CLAP leaders, street bosses and community spokesmen. He also pointed out that the “VenApp” application would open a window to report criminal and criminal groups, with total privacy and confidentiality. In addition, on August 5 he referred to the so-called “Operation Tun Tun”, when in public he alluded to the following: “Whoever eats the light… Tun tun. Don’t be a crybaby, you’re going to Tocorón”.

At a press conference, Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported on July 30, from the press room of the Public Ministry (MP), that until that date 749 detainees had been registered for violent acts in public spaces in the country. Indicating that they would be charged with crimes such as public instigation, obstruction of public roads, incitement to hatred, resistance to authority and in the most serious cases, terrorism. All of them would be asked to deprive them of liberty

Mainly, between the last 3 days of July and the first 2 weeks of August, after the announcements of Nicolás Maduro and official spokesmen, an unprecedented escalation of repression was noted , which resulted in murdered people and a significant increase in detentions for political reasons.

Regarding the figures of “political detainees”, we differentiate a first group of people detained between July 1 and 27, where the detention of a total of 142 citizens was verified, and a second group of people detained from July 28, 2024 and until the closing date of that report, September 30, 2024 (post-election period), where 1848 people arrested have been verified.

We have also identified the cases of at least 18 people who suffer from some type of disability, of whom 16 remain deprived of liberty. Also 18 indigenous people detained.

As far as the people killed are concerned, we have taken as a reference the figure provided by Human Rights Watch of 24 people .

While this report is being published, the figures continue to be updated in our system, since hundreds of relatives arrive at the offices of the Foro Penal daily to report on cases of detainees and detainees. Therefore, our database continues to be updated daily and the statuses of these people are being verified and updated by the members of the team at the time of closing this report. All this coupled with the lack of official information from the authorities in this matter. Once all the information provided is verified, the final figures can be determined and will be reported in future reports. We must also emphasize that many relatives have assured fear of reporting and being persecuted, so we have decided to omit some cases and testimonies.

On August 13, 2024, through a statement, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Volker Türk, warned the international community that the continuous arbitrary detentions and disproportionate use of force in Venezuela fuel the climate of fear. In addition, he said the following: “Criminal law should never be used to unduly limit the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.”

Between July and September, in particular, there was an administration of justice that was not in accordance with the law, with serious irregularities committed against the due process of the people, such as the imposition of a public defense, not allowing the detainees private lawyers to defend them in the hearings; absolute incommunicado detention and transfers to maximum security prisons without the relatives even knowing the place of confinement of their loved one.

The massive and surprise transfers to maximum security prisons occurred after the instruction given on August 1, 2024, by Nicolás Maduro and which he shared on his social network account “X”, where in a video recorded in a speech he gave to his supporters, he said: “…Tocorón and Tocuyito, I have Tocorón ready and I’m going to put them all in Tocorón…”, referring to the people arrested in demonstrations, he added: “…in maximum security prisons so that they pay for their crimes…”.

On September 17, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela issued a statement at the presentation of its report on the human rights situation in the country, indicating, among other points, the following: “We are witnessing an intensification of the repressive apparatus of the State in response to what it perceives as criticism, opposition or dissidence…” “A new milestone has been reached in the deterioration of the rule of law following the presidential elections in July…”

Reporte de Represión completo aquí: