Lapidary Amnesty International report on crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela: "Maduro knew and did nothing"

The selective extrajudicial executions, the arbitrary detentions as well as the deaths and injuries resulting from an excessive use of force, that the Nicolás Maduro regime has used in a systematic and widespread way since at least 2017, can constitute: crimes against humanityAmnesty International denounces in its new report "Justice Hunger: Crimes Against Humanity in Venezuela ", on the events in Venezuela at the end of January 2019.

"As we have been denouncing for years, in Venezuela, there is a policy of systematic repression against the opponents or those who are perceived as such simply because of the demonstration, for which the government of Nicolás Maduro will be accountable to international justice, "he said. Erika Guevara Rosas, Director of Amnesty International for the Americas.

Crimes of international law and human rights violations committed in January were conducted consistently across most of the country, with a high level of articulation between security agencies at the national and national levels. They did not occur at random or in isolation, but rather were part of an attack previously planned and led by the security forces against those identified or perceived as opponents, especially in highly marginalized areas, to neutralize or eliminate them.

"The authorities at the highest level, including Nicolás Maduro, were aware of these crimes, public and notorious, and did nothing to prevent them. It's cloaking. We call on all States to demonstrate their indisputable support for the victims and not to let these crimes go unpunished. The international community must redouble its efforts before this unprecedented crisis, both in Venezuela and Venezuela, "he said. Mariela Belski, Executive Director of Amnesty International Argentina.

Due to the characteristics of the January attacks, in terms of the seriousness of the behavior, the number of victims, the temporal and geographical space in which they were perpetrated through the coordination of the various security forces, existence of similar model indices in 2014 and 2017, In his article, Amnesty International said that crimes against humanity could have been committed in Venezuela, which must be determined by an independent and impartial judiciary.

Amnesty International has recommended the creation of a research commission in the framework of the UN Human Rights Council at its next session in June and July 2019. He also recommended activation of universal jurisdiction by countries really concerned about the situation in the countryas well as review and study of these facts by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which maintains a preliminary examination of Venezuela since the beginning of 2018.

The serious deterioration of living conditions and the systematic violations of economic, social and cultural rights continue to affect the majority of the Venezuelan population and have forced more than 3.7 million people leave the country. At least three million are in other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and many of them need international protection.

In the face of serious violations of human rights, lack of access to medicines and food and widespread violence in Venezuela, Amnesty International says that the crimes against humanity committed by the authorities can not go unpunished..

Amnesty International has concluded that selective extrajudicial executions, deaths resulting from excessive use of force, arbitrary and mbad arrests, possible concealment and the lack of investigation into these acts in January 2019 , "they were not random". On the contrary, "They were part of an attack consisting of multiple previously planned acts of violence directed against a distinct civilian population: people who are opposed or perceived as such by the government."

The NGO says it was "a sustained attack by state agents aimed at controlling, neutralizing, punishing or eliminating those considered or perceived as opponents"

Amnesty International has estimated that, due to the characteristics of the January 2019 attack, in terms of the severity of the behavior, the number of victims, the temporal and geographical space in which they occurred through the coordination of different state forces, as well as the existence of similar trend indices in 2014 and 2017, were allegedly committed in Venezuela. crimes against humanity.

"The context of generality and systematics in which similar trends have occurred in Venezuela in recent years suggests that the facts badyzed in this report, as well as the trends already reported in the past, they would set up one of the most serious crimes considered by the international community. This type of atrocious crimes requires investigation, prosecution and punishment of those responsible, taking into account that they are imprescriptible and allow the application of universal jurisdiction, "said Amnesty International.

"The clbadification of the type of crime, as well as the individual criminal responsibility that may correspond in your case, must always be determined independently and impartially by a national or international judicial authority, as the case may be, "he added.

Finally, he said: "However, the prevailing impunity in Venezuela makes it difficult to believe that the national mechanisms meet the obligation of justice, truth and reparation of the victims of crimes of international law and human rights violations committed during those years, which encourages its repetition. the organization considers that international justice is crucial in the fight against impunity and the search for guarantees of non-repetition"