New complaint in The Hague court against the Maduro regime warns against intensifying repression in Venezuela

A Czech university institute, led by a Venezuelan lawyer in exile, reported Monday in Prague that filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for alleged attacks by Venezuelan security forces against a private clinic and three churches.

As explained by Tamara Sujú, executive director of CASLA, a center specializing in Latin American studies in Prague, The goal is to "demonstrate that the crackdown has intensified" in the Caribbean country.

"It does not matter anymore to attack a clinic or health center, which is punished internationally", said the Venezuelan jurist, who got asylum in the Czech Republic in 2014.

CASLA, which receives funding from the Czech state, has already submitted to the ICC several documents outlining more than 600 cases of alleged torture attributed to officials of the Maduro government.

In the two cases of crimes against humanity against Venezuela in The Hague, there are cases of torture, arbitrary detention, badual violence and temporary forced disappearances.

In the material presented to the ICC, the attack on the private clinic "Alfa" in Maiquetía is denounced (State of Vargas), where three women were seriously injured during protests following opposition leader Juan Guaidó's speech on 30 April.

The intervention of the forces of the order pushed many people to take refuge in the health center, where agents entered and opened fire "at close range", says Sujú.

Agents of the National Guard and Regional Police they attacked the same day three churches, in Maiquetía, San Cristóbal (Táchira State) and Barquisimeto (Lara State). Protesters were there and tear gas was used inside the temple during religious services.

The governor of Vargas, José Luis García Carneiro; Vice Admiral Gustavo Romero Matamoros and the police chief of Vargas State, Virgilio Pelequia, "leaders of the repression," said Sujú.

Six countries – Argentina, Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile and Canada – denounced Venezuela to the ICC and they urged the prosecutor to open the investigation against the government of Nicolás Maduro.

For its part, CASLA announced today that in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), a report to the ICC on the "mbadacre of the Pemón people" would be presented next June.

The Venezuelan government has displaced this indigenous community to facilitate mining in its area of ​​residence.

"Some 1,200" Pemones "were forced to leave Venezuela and take refuge in Brazil after being intimidated by the government," said Sujú.