VENEZOLAANSE VLUCHTELINGEN

Date: 18 January 2024.

We continue to face a bleak outlook regarding the observance of fundamental rights in our country. The recent arrest of trade union leader Víctor Venegas, president of the Barinas state branch of FENATEV, is a worrying indicator of the authoritarian drift that threatens the integrity of our institutions and freedom of expression.

We join the statement made by the NGO Fordisi, which denounces the attack on the headquarters of FENATEV and the arrest of Víctor Venegas, highlighting the seriousness of the events. The indiscriminate violence exercised by the State Security Forces, who brutally raided a union headquarters and assaulted teachers and children, is not only reprehensible, but reveals a flagrant disregard for the most basic human rights.

The words of Víctor Venegas before his arrest, emphasizing that he is in good health and that his struggle is for the defense of the workers before his arrest, should resonate in the collective consciousness. It is imperative to question the detention of trade union leaders and human rights defenders in a context where corruption and mismanagement of public assets are endemic evils with no clear answer.

The contrast between the persecution of union leaders and the opacity surrounding the management of billions of dollars disappeared reflects the misguided priority of the illegitimate authorities of Nicolás Maduro's regime, who seem to be more focused on silencing those who stand up for justice than on addressing fundamental issues such as wages and health.

The prevailing demand for the release of all political prisoners is an urgent call to the international community and civil society to unite in the defence of democratic principles. The statement "To protest is not to conspire" resonates as a powerful statement, underscoring the importance of citizen expression as a legitimate right and not as a crime. 

From the Netherlands, we continue to work to contribute to the acceleration of the investigation processes in the International Criminal Court to effectively address violations of the Rome Statutes, as it is yet another case that shows that this action of persecution has materialized for political reasons.