In a statement published on December 16th of 2019 to President Fernandez, 74 social and human rights organizations asked the new leader of Argentina to maintain “the possible good diplomatic work to stimulate a democratic, peaceful and constitutional exit to the current Venezuelan conflict”. The activists reminded in their letter some of the conclusions from the recent report from the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner to ratify the grave situation in regards to this matter in the country. In the text they expressed: “the majority of the population in our country aspires for a peaceful and negotiated solution of the conflict, which will allow the restitution of the political participation and electoral rights of Venezuelans so that they are able to democratically and legitimately their destiny. The evidence suggests, that to achieve this route, international diplomatic measures are necessary”. The activists suggest this so that Argentina continues participating in multilateral efforts.

In regards to the situation of Venezuelan migrants in the country, the defenders recognized the opening that was given to Venezuelans. However, they asked for “guarantees of protection in Argentina to be broaden for Venezuelan forced migrants. Finally, they expressed to President Fernandez: “We manifest our hope that, during your government, Argentina maintains and deepens the process of “Memory, Truth and Justice” that has begun to put an end to the impunity of human rights violations that affected Argentinians during its last civic-military dictatorship”

Among the signing organizations of the statement there is Provea,

Civilis Derechos Humanos, Foro Penal, Prepara Familia, Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes, Centro Gumilla, Acción Solidaria, Laboratorio de Paz, Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Guajira.

Now, here is the entire statement sent to President Fernandez

Caracas, December 16th of 2019

Esteemed Mister Alberto Fernandez.

President Elect of Argentina for the 2019-2023 period.

Your office

First, receive, on behalf of the Venezuelan social organizations that subscribe to the present public statement, the best wishes on your upcoming administration as president of the Argentine Nation. The purpose of our letter is to ask, respectfully, that you continue during your administration all the possible good democratic procedures to stimulate a democratic, peaceful and constitutional exit to the Venezuelan conflict, high has become a regional crisis due to the significant exodus of Venezuelans, as forced migrants, into the countries of the region. The rupture of the constitutional order in our country needs the support of the international community in order for it to be re-established. As it has been sufficiently documented by the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, the current Venezuelan authorities have allowed grave and systematic violations of political and social rights of Venezuelans. As it was registered in the report that was divulged by the High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet: “the deviation of resources, corruption and the lack of maintenance of public infrastructure, as well as the underinvestment, have resulted in violations of the right of adequate quality of life quality, among others, due to the deterioration of public services, as public transportation, access to electricity, water and natural gas”. This situation has expelled, according to the projections of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 6 million Venezuelans as of June of 2019, a number that will continue to increase in the following months if there is not a democratic opening of the country. In regards to civil and political rights, the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights affirmed that the government of Nicolas Maduro “has used arbitrary detentions as instruments to intimidate and repress political opposition and any other form of dissent, real or alleged, at least since 2014.” As it has denounced by our organizations, and reiterated by Michelle Bachelet in her report, there is a high probability that those detained for political reasons suffer from tortures, inhuman treatment and degrading during their imprisonment, as well as the constant degradation of their due process: “electric current shock, choking with plastic bags, waterboarding, beatings, sexual violence, starvation and dehydration, forced postures and exposition to extreme temperatures” as its was documented by the High Comissioner of Human Rights.

As it was demonstrated by the janitor of organizations that subscribe to the following statement, the majority of the population aspire to a peaceful and negotiated solution of the conflict, which will allow the restitution of the political participation and electoral rights of Venezuelans so that they are able to democratically and legitimately their destiny. The evidence suggests, that to achieve this route, international diplomatic measures are necessary, not only by the efforts of chancellors on each country, but also by the efforts of regional coalitions, like the Lima Group, and the mechanisms of dialogue provided by each country, as the Contact Group of the European Union. These multilateral efforts not only need to be maintained, but also strengthened with the active participation of Argentina, due to its importance in the concert of Latin American countries. It has been of key importance the push that Argentina has provided to the request to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to start a formal investigation about Venezuela by the occurrence of crimes against humanity in the context of the protests of 2014 and 2017. Likewise, we request that during your administration, the guarantees of protection that Argentina has put forward for forced Venezuelan migrants are broadened.

We manifest our hope that, during your government, Argentina maintains and deepens the process of “Memory, Truth and Justice” that has begun to put an end to the impunity of human rights violations that affected Argentinians during its last civic-military dictatorship and that has become a role-model for defenders of human rights in Latin America.

Thanking you for your attention, we say cordially say goodbye.

Subscribing to this statement

A.C. Grupo La Colina

2) A.C. Radar de los Barrios

3) Acceso a la Justicia

4) Acción Solidaria

5) Alfa Ciudadana

6) Alianza Venezolana por la Salud

7) Amigos Trasplantados de Venezuela

8) ANROS (Asociación Nacional de Redes y Organizaciones Sociales)

9) Asociación Civil Gente del Petróleo

10) Asociación Civil Impacto Social ASOCIS

11) Asociación civil los Naguaritos

12) Asoprovital

13) BARUTA EN MOVIMIENTO

14) Caleidoscopio Humano

15) Catedra de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado

16) Centro de Acción y Defensa Por los Derechos Humanos (CADEF)

17) Centro de Justicia y Paz Cepaz

18) Centro para la paz y los DDHH de la Universidad Central de Venezuela

19) Ciudadanía con Compromiso A.C

20) Civilis Derechos Humanos

21) Clima21 – Ambiente y Derechos Humanos

22) Codevida (Coalición de Organizaciónes por el Derecho a la Salud y la Vida)

23) Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de colegios de abogados de Venezuela del estado Táchira

24) Comisión nacional de DDHH de la Federación de colegios de abogados de Venezuela del estado Táchira

25) Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación del Colegio de Abogados de Venezuela en el estado Lara

26) Comisión para los Derechos Humanos del estado Zulia (Codhez)

27) Comité de DDHH Parroquia Jesús de Nazaret

28) Comité de Derechos Humanos de la Guajira

29) Comunidad en Movimiento A.C

30) Conciencia Ciudadana A.C

31) Creemos Alianza Ciudadana Región Mérida

32) Epikeia Observatorio Universitario de Derechos Humanos

33) EXCUBITUS Derechos Humanos en Educación

34) Federación de trabajadores del estado.Apure

35) Foro Ciudadano

36) Foro de Mujeres del Mercosur

37) Foro Hatillano

38) Foro Penal

39) Fundación CELTA

40) Fundación Centro Gumilla

41) Fundación incide

42) Fundación Lucelia

43) Fundacion Pro Bono Venezuela, ProVene

44) Fundafronh

45) Gobiérnatec

46) Humano Derecho Radio

47) Instituto Mead de Venezuela A.C

48) Instituto Venezolano de Estudios Sociales y Políticos-INVESP

49) Justicia y Paz OP Venezuela

50) Grupo La Colina

51) Labo Ciudadano

52) Laboratorio de Paz

53) Monitor Social A.C. (Nueva Esparta)

54) Montalbán en Movimiento

55) Movimiento Ciudadano Dale Letra

56) Movimiento Por la Democracia (MPD)

57) Mulier

58) Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes

59) Organización Hombres por la Equidad e Igualdad

60) Organización Nelson Garrido (ONG)

61) Prepara Familia

62) PROENA

63) Promoción Educación y Defensa en DDHH – PROMEDEHUM

64) Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea)

65) Proyecta Ciudadanía A.C

66) Red de Defensores de Derechos Humanos Nueva Esparta

67) RedApoyaT (Red de Cuidados Psicológicos)

68) RedesAyuda

69) Revista Sic del Centro Gumilla

70) Una Ventana a la Libertad

71) Unión Vecinal para la Participación Ciudadana A.C

72) Universitas Fundación

73) Venezolanos en Acción

74) VotoJoven