“Disappointing”: Amnesty International’s harsh letter to the government for the withdrawal of the complaint against Venezuela

Amnesty International Express to worry this Friday before Argentine withdrawal from the trial against Nicolás Maduro before the International Criminal Court (ICC) of The Hague. In a letter to Foreign Minister Felipe Solá, he listed the various crimes attributed to the President of the Caribbean country, condemned the government’s decision to “turn its back on the victims” and urged him to reconsider his position.

“I am pleased to address you in order to pass on to you the concern of the organization I represent on the decision of the Argentine government to withdraw its referral concerning the situation in Venezuela before the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, as well as on any other presentation made in this context, “begins the letter signed by the executive director of Amnesty International Argentina, Mariela Belski.

Then Belski refers to complaints filed by the agency in relation to multiple crimes, among which he mentions extrajudicial executions; torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; enforced disappearances; arbitrary detentions; as well as deaths and injuries due to the excessive use of force by state agents of the government of Nicolás Maduro, who “Could constitute crimes against humanity.”

Faced with this scenario, and after Argentina supported the Venezuelan government’s investigation into the aforementioned events, Belski expressed “Surprise and worry” before the executive’s decision to drop the trial delete any other presentation carried out in this context. In relation to this last point, he placed particular emphasis on the Note OI 48/2019 of September 30, 2019, which included “information and testimony provided by Venezuelans residing in Argentina” which could be the subject of an investigation by the prosecutor’s office of the Court.

“If the resolution is confirmed, and considering that the prosecution’s investigation will naturally continue its course even with the withdrawal of the referral by Argentina, it is disappointing that your government has decided to take such a decision “Belski said, adding: “It would be surprising if Argentina, a country with a strong tradition in its foreign human rights policy, turn your back on Venezuelan victims who do not have justice neither in his country nor, to date, before international bodies ”.

For all of the above, Amnesty International He urged the Government of Argentina to “publicly adopt a strong position and condemn the serious violations of human rights. and crimes under international law committed daily in Venezuela with the consent and encouragement of its highest authorities ”.

Finally, he asked Solá guarantee the security and integrity of all Venezuelan or foreign persons residing in Venezuela who may have provided information to the Argentine authorities on human rights violations or crimes under international law.

THE NATION