A United Nations fact-finding mission has concluded that “there are no indicators of structural reforms or change” to improve the human rights situation in Venezuela, despite the removal of its leader in January.
On Thursday, a member of the fact-finding mission, Maria Eloisa Quintero, delivered remarks (PDF) to the UN Human Rights Council questioning whether Venezuela’s leadership would face accountability for its record of human rights abuses.
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She also pointed to ongoing abuses under the government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who was sworn into office on January 5.
“Civic and democratic space remains severely restricted. Civil society organizations, the few remaining independent media outlets, and political actors continue to face attacks, harassment or intimidation,” Quintero wrote in her statement.
“The prospects for full guarantees necessary for free and democratic elections remain remote.”
All told, the fact-finding mission found that at least 87 people have been detained since January.
Fourteen of them were journalists who were temporarily taken into custody while covering Rodriguez’s inauguration, and another 27 were reportedly arrested for celebrating the fall of Rodriguez’s predecessor, Nicolas Maduro.
The fact-finding mission revealed that at least 15 of the recent arrests involved children.
A violation of international law
Its report was one of the first international assessments of human rights under Rodriguez’s nascent presidency.
She took office after the United States launched a military operation in the early morning hours of January 3 to abduct Venezuela’s then-President Maduro. Previously, Rodriguez had served as Maduro’s vice president.
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores currently remain imprisoned in New York, where they face charges of drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The US has backed Rodriguez’s ascent to the presidency. Both her government and that of US President Donald Trump have said there is no immediate plan to hold a new election in Venezuela, citing the need for stability.
Quintero emphasised that it was the view of the fact-finding mission that the US operation “violated international law”, echoing the legal consensus.
“While the Mission has rea