Geneva – A United Nations‑mandated fact‑finding mission told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday that Venezuela’s repressive security system remains largely intact despite the removal of President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year.
Partial gains after Maduro’s capture
The mission noted that Maduro’s arrest in January led to a modest decline in long‑term politically motivated detentions and related abuses. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro, introduced measures such as prisoner releases, an amnesty law and the closure of the notorious El Helicoide detention center.
These steps have given civil‑society groups and opposition figures slightly more space to organize and criticize authorities. However, the experts warned that the reforms are “partial, conditional and reversible at best” and do not represent a genuine, sustainable break from years of repression.
Key officials and institutions unchanged
According to the report, senior officials linked to past repression continue to hold key positions in security agencies, intelligence services and the courts. Laws used to suppress dissent have not been meaningfully reformed, and armed civilian groups known as “colectivos” remain tied to the state, providing political, financial and logistical support for intimidation.
The mission documented ongoing harsh prison conditions, including beatings, electric shocks, prolonged isolation and other forms of torture at maximum‑security facilities such as El Rodeo I and Fuerte Guaicaipuro. Hundreds of individuals, real or perceived opponents of the government, remain arbitrarily detained.
Calls for accountability and reform
The U.N. experts urged the Venezuelan government to release all political detainees, investigate alleged crimes against humanity, reform security institutions and dismantle the armed civilian groups involved in rights violations. They also criticized Venezuela’s recent withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, saying it hampers accountability for past abuses.
Venezuela’s mission to the U.N. in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Context of U.S. involvement
The United States has detained Maduro on drug‑trafficking charges, but has left his Socialist Party government largely intact, a point of disappointment for the Venezuelan opposition, which claims it was denied a legitimate 2024 election outcome.
While the report acknowledges some positive steps, it underscores that the core mechanisms of repression remain in place, leaving many Venezuelans vulnerable to continued human‑rights violations.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
