POLITICAL REPRESSION IN VENEZUELA REPORT. 2019

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During 2019, the conduct of abusive State security forces and administrative bodies of justice, which acted on the guidelines of the Venezuelan regime, not adjusted to law, restricting freedom, and even the right to life of citizens, continued to be systematically observed in Venezuela. The figures verified by Foro Penal, corresponding to 2019, regarding repression for political reasons in Venezuela are:

• At least 50 people were reported and verified as murdered, a product of the repression within the context of demonstrations called by Venezuelan opposition factions, between  January and May 2019. There is also a record of a person who would have been killed through torture suffered while in detention.
• 2,219 people were arbitrarily arrested, for political reasons, from January 1st to December 31, 2019
• There are 388 political prisoners, as of December 31, 2019, of which 18 are women and 118 are military officials.

In addition to the above-mentioned data, we have continued to observe the use by the State of other mechanisms of intolerance, for selective repression of citizens considered political opposition.

Many cases of torture and cruel, inhumane or denigrating treatment were also reported. At least 50% of arbitrarily detained people reported being a victim of some type of abuse during their detention or at the time of their arrest.

As a relevant fact, in January 2019, we highlight the beginning of a series of street demonstrations that started on January 21. The rise in protests caused an abusive and disproportionate response on behalf of the security forces. We reported a