AI warns that “policies of repression” of the government continue in Venezuela

A representative of this non-governmental organization (NGO), Clara del Campo, stressed that, saves certain exceptions for the media and the release of some political prisoners, the amnesty law approved by the Venezuelan executive “is arbitrary” and continues arrests for political reasons, tortures and “criminalization of thousands of people”.

“ The veil of impunity has not been lifted at all,” Del Campo warned in an interview with the Spanish news agency Europa Press, who explained that hundreds of Venezuelans continue to be detained for political reasons, despite the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by the United States in January.

“ There is no record of the persons in custody of the State, the conditions under which they are, the detention centres where they are, or the criminal proceedings to which they are subject (...) There is a level of total opacity”, he said.

Del Campo also warned that some political leaders accused of crimes against human rights were promoted in power structures.

The representative of Amnesty International explained that it is very difficult to verify the number of people in this situation and thanked “the titanic work” that some civil society organizations have been carrying out to keep a record.

“ We have heard the authorities, from the interim president to the lowest levels, launching figures without any kind of international verification”, lamented.

In February this year, the National Assembly of Venezuela passed an amnesty law that, according to official data, benefited more than 8,000 people, among those who are detained and those who are at liberty under precautionary measures.

Human rights and opposition organisations argue that the majority belong to this second group, so hundreds remain in prison.

Del Campo pointed out that, although Amnesty International celebrates any release that is achieved or any criminal proceedings that are closed, the truth is that they have been observing “a fairly arbitrary and discretionary application of this law (...), which has been the mark of the Government for so many years”.

In addition, he denounced “opacity” and “lack of transparency” in all these cases, as well as a misapplication of the law — if not its absence — with cases of people who are released but whose process remains open.

“ People remain subject to precautionary measures that also restrict their right to freedom, and even integrity, and face a constant threat and fear that at any time they can be arrested again,” Del Campo explained, who mentioned the case of Javier Oropeza, an ex-autarch who, after two years of exile, returned to the country believing that his process had been dismissed.

The NGO representative asked the world leaders present at the 81st UN General Assembly to listen to the speech of Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez with “critical spirit”.

“ We hope that at least the international community will listen in a critical spirit and carry out a detailed and detailed check and analysis of the statements it makes, because most likely they are full of inaccuracies or brazen lies,” Del Campo said.

The representative of Amnesty International also requested free elections in the country, as well as a complete reform of state structures.

“ We need to see much more solid changes, ensure the protection of freedom of expression, freedom of the press, the right to participation in public affairs, the right of association, the right of NGOs to claim rights, whether political or economic, whether the right to water or food (...) these are the changes that will allow us to believe that there has been a structural change, which is not happening at the moment,” Del Campo added.