Explained: Why Is Venezuela Facing A Severe Humanitarian Emergency?

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) announced last week that Venezuela would be scrutinised in the conference as countries around the world look to Venezuela for their energy needs amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine issue. The agency's oral update exercise would give member states the chance to communicate the nation's persistent human rights concerns, such as the repression of dissent, the humanitarian catastrophe, and the migration issue.

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Members of the conference were urged to "intensify pressure on Venezuelan administration" to end their systematic persecution of civil society activists and journalists, among others. "Participating states should also urge equitable and public elections in Venezuela, as well as the effective implementation of the Organization of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Fact-Finding Project," the statement stated.

What is happening in Venezuela?

The series of developments began in April 2013, when then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died of cancer, and his favoured heir, Nicolas Maduro, defeated Henrique Capriles, the nominee of the opposition alliance, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, in the presidential election.

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Venezuela was in a condition of economic recession, inflation, and extreme public insecurity in January 2014, as global oil prices plummeted. The Exit campaign was started by a group of opposition politicians who wanted to overthrow the incumbent President. Protests in the streets erupted as well. According to the UNHRC, security personnel used disproportionate force on peaceful protesters and civilians. Furthermore, government troops allowed and, in some cases, directly assisted with armed pro-government gangs who attacked protestors.

The bureau claimed that inflation had surpassed 63.4 % in December 2014. The constantly deteriorating economic condition heightened tensions and political opposition on a regular basis.

How bad is the crisis?

According to the UNHRC assessment, one out of every three Venezuelans is food insecure. Measles, diphtheria, malaria, and tuberculosis have all increased in the nation since 2016. People have been compelled to stop taking antiretroviral (ARV) drugs due to a lack of antiretroviral (ARV) medications, according to the Council.

Venezuela was ranked 180 out of 195 nations in the 2019 Global Health Security Index as the country least expected to stop an outbreak from spreading.

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According to the Inter Agency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela, there are over 6 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants worldwide. Around 5 million people are estimated to live in Latin American and Caribbean nations. Many Venezuelan refugees, according to the UN Refugee Agency, lack documentation or permits to reside in nearby nations on a regular basis, denying them access to basic rights. It went on to say, "This subjects them to labour and sexual abuse, human trafficking, harassment, prejudices, and xenophobia."

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, the special mining area consists 14 Indigenous regions, the occupants of which were reportedly not informed prior to its construction. Individuals in several riverbank Indigenous settlements within and downstream of the mining region are reportedly suffering from acute mercury poisoning. Mercury is a hazardous material used to purify gold from impurities and is toxic to humans.

Judicial Independence and Impunity for Abuses?

When former President Hugo Ch¨¢vez and his followers in the National Assembly acquired control of the Supreme Court in 2004, the judiciary ceased to function as an independent department of government. The separation of powers has been openly ignored by Supreme Court justices, who have routinely backed abusive laws and practices.

According to the reports, survivors of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detention, and torture perpetrated by security agents with the knowledge or consent of Venezuelan high ranking officials have received no meaningful justice in Venezuela. The UN Fact-Finding Panel concluded in September 2021 that legal officials were involved in the abuses by issuing retrospective arrest warrants for illegal arrests, habitually ordering pre-trial incarceration, upholding detentions based on thin evidence, and failing to safeguard torture victims. According to the same research, courts allowed large procedural delays and impeded the freedom to choose one's own lawyer.

According to the Attorney General's Office, 716 individuals were accused with offences related to human rights abuses between August 2017 and May 2021, with 1,064 charged, 540 detained, and 153 convicted. The Fact-Finding Mission discovered several inconsistencies in the data provided by Venezuelan authorities and found no evidence that authorities were conducting investigations into who was responsible for infractions higher up the chain of command.

Key International Actors

International Criminal Court (ICC) Attorney Karim Khan announced during a visit to Venezuela in November 2021 that his agency will launch an investigation into potential violations of human rights perpetrated in the country. Since February 2018, the Office of the Prosecutor has been conducting a preliminary investigation into the situation in Venezuela.

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The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights maintains an in-country presence, which grew to 12 officials in 2021. In 2021, the office provided an update to the UN Human Rights Council on ongoing violations. Last year, both the OHCHR and the UN special working party on unilateral coercive measures stated that unilateral sectorial sanctions had exacerbated Venezuela's pre-existing social and economic crisis situations, though the OHCHR also mentioned other issues, such as a lack of official details and the need to evaluate claims of discriminatory practices in health and food care access.

The United States President Joe Biden's administration has publicly condemned the Maduro government's human rights violations and shown willingness to withdraw sanctions in lieu for significant progress in the Mexico negotiations.

In addition to imposing targeted sanctions, the European Union has consistently condemned the Venezuelan government's human rights violations, including at the United Nations Human Rights Council, and is a leading member of the International Contact Group, which is working to find a political solution to the crisis and lay the foundation for credible election results.

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