38th session of the Human Rights Council: Joint Statement on the Human Rights Situation in Venezuela

July 5, 2018 - Geneva, Switzerland

“Thank you Mr. President, for giving me the floor to speak under the general debate item 10 ^{Footnote 1} .

I make this statement on behalf of 53 States in response to the deteriorating situation of human rights in Venezuela as documented in the High Commissioner´s Report June 2018, entitled “Human Rights Violations in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: a downward spiral with no end in sight”.
We are concerned by accounts in the High Commissioner´s Report detailing serious human rights violations that include extrajudicial killings, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, torture and ill treatment, and the lack of access to justice, as well as the erosion of institutional checks and balances and the democratic space in Venezuela.
We express our deep concern regarding this extreme gravity of the situation that deeply affects the human rights of the people of Venezuela that is derived from an unprecedented political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in that country.
We are equally concerned by the grave impact of the economic and social crisis on the rights to food and health. The critical levels of food scarcity are forcing families to drastically reduce the quantity and quality of their food intake. The report indicates a rapid increase in malnutrition, especially among children.
The food crisis is exacerbated by a dramatic health crisis. There is an acute deterioration of health care facilities and equipment, unavailability of medicines, including to treat chronic conditions, and the outbreak of diseases that had been previously eradicated.
We call on Venezuela to restore the rule of law and democratic order, to address these serious human rights violations, and to prevent any further deterioration.
We recognize the challenges associated with the promotion and protection of human rights. In this regard, we call upon Venezuela to recognize the gravity of its situation and to open its doors to humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation, to cooperate with the Council’s human rights mechanisms and the OHCHR, and to ensure open channels of dialogue and engagement with all relevant United Nations bodies.
We ask the High Commissioner to continue to report on the situation in the country. We commit to consider the recommendations in the report.

Thank you.

Date modified:: 2018-07-05

Language selection

Search

38th session of the Human Rights Council: Joint Statement on the Human Rights Situation in Venezuela

Co-sponsors