On Thursday, Venezuela's government ordered the local United Nations office on human rights to cease operations and gave its staff 72 hours to leave, accusing it of supporting coup plotters and terrorist groups.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil announced the decision at a press conference held in the capital, Caracas.
Venezuela Orders Suspension of UN Human Rights Office
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil speaks during a press conference in response to the previous declarations of the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri, at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas, on February 15, 2024. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said he had decided to "suspend the activities" of the office of the UN human rights agency in the country and ordered its staff to leave within 72 hours. He said the agency had taken on an "inappropriate role" and had become "the private law firm of the coup plotters and terrorists who permanently conspire against the country".
Gil said the international community has used the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' local technical advisory office "to maintain a discourse" against Venezuela. The move came two days after the detention of prominent rights activist Rocio San Miguel.
According to Gil, the UN rights office has adopted an "inappropriate role" and has become "the private law firm of the coup plotters and terrorists who permanently conspire against the country."
He claimed the agency would not be able to "publicly rectify, before the international community, their colonialist, abusive and violating attitude of the United Nations Charter" before the decision was lifted. Venezuela's government released a statement saying it decided to suspend the UN rights office's operations and "carry out a holistic revision of the technical cooperation terms." The review is scheduled to occur over the next 30 days.
It was not immediately clear if the Venezuelan government had informed the UN of its decision to close the office. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during his daily briefing on Thursday that he recently learned of the decision and would respond to media representatives.
The UN human rights office has maintained operations in Venezuela since 2019. Prosecutors accused her of taking part in the recent alleged plan to kill President Nicolas Maduro, which the government has said was supported by the United States.
In January, authorities declared that they had discovered five assassination schemes against Maduro, implicating rights activists, journalists, and the military.
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UN Rights Office Calls for San Miguel's Immediate Release
On Tuesday, the UN rights office, based in Geneva, Switzerland, expressed "deep concern" about San Miguel. The office posted on X, formerly Twitter, to call for her immediate release and respect for her right to legal defense.
The UN agency demanded respect for "due process guarantees, including the right to defense" in her case shortly before Gil's announcement on Thursday.
Furthermore, the US has threatened to reimpose recently eased oil sanctions in response to Maduro's imprisonment of San Miguel during a crucial election year in which he has already blocked his main opposition rival.
San Miguel is the founder of the NGO called Citizen Control, which investigates military and security-related matters, including the number of civilians killed or abused by security forces. She also provided specifics about the military's role in illegal mining operations and a recent army femicide.
International rights organizations see the arrests as part of a coordinated effort to silence opponents and critics of the administration.
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