On July 4, after her visit to Venezuela, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, published a report addressing the situation of Human Rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, resulting in a deep analysis after carrying out humanitarian supervisions. Within these actions, the High Commissioner included both information from meetings held with senior officials of the national government and its political counterpart, and from public documentation analyses. She inquired about the patterns and changes in legislative, economic, and social matters, in relation to the violation of Human Rights. Similarly, she gathered the testimony of a large part of the civilian population about the crisis that Venezuelans are experiencing.
In the first place, the High Commissioner underlines in the report the categorical and constant violation of Human Rights. She argued during the presentation that “Venezuelans deserve a better life, free of fear and with access to food, water and sanitary services”. It also blames the executive for the failure of social programs and policies, hunger, lack of health care, among others. The continuous violations of both civil rights and the political rights of Venezuelan citizens have led the nation to a state of emergency that is blatantly denied by those responsible; the Venezuelan government, which has carried out more than 6,800 extrajudicial executions between January 2018 and May 2019.
In the same way, Bachelet denounces the tortured during arbitrary detentions and recalls the recent death of Captain Rafael Acosta who, when he was in custody, was violently tortured, resulting in his death.
The report also echoes the hyperinflation that strikes the stomach of most citizens and a minimum wage amounting to the equivalent of about seven US dollars per month and covering only 4.7% of the basic food basket. It also raises concerns about the constant decrease in state revenues that depend solely on oil activity and that neglects the functioning of public services almost in its entirety. The deterioration and malfunction of basic services such as public transport and access to electricity, water, and natural gas are only a small part of the daily concern of Venezuelans.
The report highlights how the diversion of natural and economic resources, together with corruption by the government, have led to a growing lack of maintenance in the public infrastructure in the country and a high number of violations in terms of quality of life. Within the fundamental human right to food is the obligation of the State to ensure that the population does not suffer from hunger. Resolution 39/1 highlights how the main food assistance program—known as “CLAP boxes”—does not cover the nutritional needs that are vital for human beings.
For all this, we find that at present the poverty rate of Venezuela is 48% and, according to the official indicators presented by Latin American countries’ central banks, has the highest inflation in the region. Experts bet that poverty will continue to rise due to hyperinflation. In 2018, this figure closed at 1,700,000% and, in these first months of 2019, the figure rose to 2,300,000% , according tothe Venezuelan National Assembly. Similarly, it is estimated that by the end of this year 2019 inflation will reach 10,000,000%. With regard to mass migration, we currently find 4 million Venezuelans scattered around the world, a figure that could reach 5.3 million by December. It should be noted that due to the humanitarian, political, economic, and social crises that Venezuela has experienced during the presidential government of Nicolás Maduro has plunged us into a reality whereby every day 5 thousand people leave the nation in search of better living conditions and safety.
As we can see, after more than 20 years of this regime, Venezuela is going through its worst crisis. Hyperinflation, in addition to causing great poverty, has caused a 50% drop in the country’s economy that is hardly reparable since oil production, being its main and only exportable item, continues to decline. After the Venezuelan Government failed to recognize the precarious situation of the country, Bachelet admits the complexity of the matter and invites those responsible to end the violations of human rights. She also invites all the people with power and influence worldwide to collaborate with this cause and adds that her office is ready to continue supporting it.
Finally, Bachelet adds: “The only way out of this crisis is unity, and I ask the Venezuelan Government to see the opposition and human rights defenders as partners in the common cause of these rights and justice, to plant the seeds of a lasting agreement that leads to reconciliation.”
Foto: Twitter @UNHumanRights