Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela

The International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is an observation body established in 2019 to study the human rights situation under the Bolivarian Revolution.

Creation

The Mission's mandate was created on 27 September 2019 by [[United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 42/25 to assess human rights violations since 2014: including persecution of opposition groups, immigration, food crisis, state sexism towards Venezuelan women and girls, among others; since the beginning of the first government of Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. ^[1] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights led by Michelle Bachelet reported the following in its 2019 report:

The report, which was prepared at the request of the UN Human Rights Council, states that over the past decade - and especially since 2016 - the Venezuelan government and its institutions have implemented a strategy "aimed at neutralising, repressing and criminalising the political opposition and those who criticise the government". A set of laws, policies and practices that has reduced the democratic sphere, dismantled the system of institutional control over the executive branch and allowed the reiteration of serious human rights violations. The document highlights the impact of the deep economic crisis, which has deprived the population of the means to satisfy their fundamental rights to food and medical care, among others.

— Report of the United Nations Human Rights Office on Venezuela urges immediate steps to stop and remedy grave rights violations^[2].

In the context of the presidential crisis of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó expressed that «the Report of the UN puts to Mature to level of the atrocious crimes committed by [Muammar] Gaddafi», whereas Mature disqualified the report «for being plagued of falsities».^[3][4]

Structure

The mission is hierarchical among the members of the United Nations:

• Marta Valiñas (president)
• Francisco Cox Vial
• Paul Seils

The mission does not operate in the country since the Maduro government has refused to it.

The only reason we have not conducted on-site research activities in Venezuela was because the Government of Venezuela did not want us to and did not allow us to do so. I have sent six communications to the Venezuelan government between January and September this year and have not received any response. In these communications I requested not only a visit to the country, but also meetings with authorities inside or outside the country. I also requested official data and information on the cases we were investigating. We also offered to send our report to the government for their comments before publishing it. I received no response. We deeply regret that this was the route chosen by the government.

— Address by Marta Valiñas, Chairperson of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to the 45th session of the Human Rights Council.^[5]

Reports

On 17 September 2020 the International Mission published a report describing extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture and cruel treatment committed in Venezuela since 2014. On 5 October, the UN Human Rights Council approved a resolution extending the Mission's mandate for two more years.^[6]

See also

• Human rights in Venezuela
• Enforced disappearances in Venezuela
• Torture in Venezuela
• International sanctions during the Venezuela crisis
• International Criminal Court investigation in Venezuela
• International Fact-Finding Mission on Israeli Settlements

References

External links

• Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, official page