The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) calls on the different political actors in Venezuela to hold a serious, broad and inclusive dialogue for the urgent reconstruction of democratic institutions to guarantee human rights in that country.
Through the monitoring activities of its Special Follow-up Mechanism for Venezuela (MESEVE), the IACHR learned that from August 13 to 15, 2021, conversations were held between the government headed by Nicolás Maduro and the Unitary Platform of Venezuela in Mexico City; which counted on the mediation of the Kingdom of Norway. In this regard, the Commission values the efforts of the international community to support this fundamental initiative, which has the potential to draw a roadmap for overcoming the unprecedented crisis that the country is going through.
The IACHR reiterates that Venezuela is facing a deep crisis of democratic institutions, which has its roots in the interference of the Executive Power in the other public powers and which has resulted in the absence of the rule of law. This circumstance has facilitated the commission of serious human rights violations against people who voice their dissent from the government, as well as the deterioration of the living conditions of the general population, responsible for the forced migration of at least 5.6 million people since 2015.
The challenges highlighted above denote the need for dialogue aimed at reestablishing democratic institutions and promoting the real, effective, and practical independence of the public powers and the consolidation of a system of checks and balances. At the same time, the IACHR underlines the importance of ensuring that the people involved in the dialogues do not suffer reprisals of any kind as a result of this work, in order to guarantee seriousness, transparency, and respect that this type of process deserves. In this regard, the Commission takes note of the measure of release under the requirement to report periodically to court granted to opposition leader Freddy Guevara, who was arrested on July 12, 2021.
The Inter-American Commission reiterates its commitment to giving visibility to the human rights situation in Venezuela while announcing that it will closely follow up on the dialogue through its MESEVE. Finally, it offers its accompaniment to the parties in the negotiations, as well as technical assistance for the implementation of the agreements under a human rights approach.
The IACHR is a principal and autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS), whose mandate arises from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has the mission of promoting the observance and protection of human rights in the region and serving as a consultative organ to the OAS on this matter. The IACHR is composed of seven independent members who are elected by the OAS General Assembly and serve in a personal capacity, not representing their countries of origin or residence.
Translated by José Rafael Medina
