UN Expresses Concern Over Human Rights in Venezuela; Government Rejects Report as Biased

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, presented his annual report this Friday in Geneva, expressing concern about the human rights situation in Venezuela, highlighting arbitrary detentions and restrictions on fundamental freedoms. The Venezuelan government labeled the report “selective” and questioned the lack of a statement regarding the situation of more than 250 Venezuelan citizens detained in El Salvador.

Read More

Albert Ramdin Bets on Dialogue in Venezuela and Seeks to Revive OAS Mediation Legacy

Albert Ramdin, the new Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), is betting on dialogue in Venezuela. Just a few months after taking office, he has made it clear that he wants to establish a channel of communication with both the Government and the opposition of the country. His approach is a priority: he seeks political stability and does not want to get bogged down in debates over whether Venezuela can be considered a dictatorship or not. This approach recalls what the OAS did during difficult moments in Venezuela’s history, particularly after the 2002 institutional crisis caused by a confrontation between the government of Hugo Chávez and various sectors of Venezuelan society, which resulted in a coup d’état and an oil industry strike within the context of a deeply polarized society.

Read More