Colombia – Venezuela: HRW asks Petro to defend the DD. H H.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) asked the president of Colombia, Gustav Petro, take advantage of the recent reestablishment of relations with Venezuela to boost the respect for Human Rights (HR) in that country and at the same time address the humanitarian crisis that has forced the exodus of more than 7.1 million people.

(See: The keys to the air reopening between Colombia and Venezuela).

“Colombia could play a key role in helping to put an end to human rights violations in Venezuela and on the border with Colombia and in restoring political rights and the rule of law in that country, in particular, through the implementation of the recommendations of the European Union electoral observation mission ahead of the elections scheduled for 2024“, says the NGO in a letter sent to Petro.

In the letter, signed by the Director for the Americas of HRW, Juanita Goebertusand by the regional deputy director, Tamara Taraciuk, the NGO recalls that the government of Nicolas Maduro, “that clings to power through a repressive machinery, has not willingly made any concessions” in terms of Human Rights.

The letter adds: “To the contrary, it has repeatedly violated the rights of Venezuelans to run for public office and vote in free and fair elections, including through the arbitrary disqualification of political opponents.“.

“The United Nations International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela has concluded that there are “reasonable grounds to believe that (…) crimes against humanity have been committed” by the Venezuelan authorities, including assassinations, arbitrary detentions and tortures“, keep going.

(See: Poverty outpaces economic recovery in Venezuela).

For this reason, it recommends that in its conversations with the Maduro government, “Colombia must prioritize concrete commitments from the Venezuelan authorities to respect human rights“.

He also asks “support the entry of more humanitarian assistance; restore the rule of law; end the complicity of the Venezuelan security forces with (the guerrillas of) the National Liberation Army (ELN); and address violence, abuse and human trafficking on the border between the two countries“.

Colombia and Venezuela reestablished, at the end of August 2022, the diplomatic relations broken since February 23, 2019, and On September 26, they officially opened the common border, which had been closed to the passage of vehicles since August 2015 by order of Maduro, after expelling thousands of Colombians who lived in the border area.

Protests in Venezuela.

EFE

As part of these rapprochements, Petro asked Maduro to be the guarantor of the peace negotiations between his government and the ELN which, as announced by the parties in Caracas, will begin after the first week of November.

“The talks with the Maduro government that were prompted by the reopening of borders and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations put your government in a unique position to push for a real negotiation between the Maduro government and Venezuelan opposition leaders.“, adds the organization.

(See: What does the bilateral agreement between Fenalco and Fedecamaras consist of?).

Therefore, he points out that Colombia has the opportunity to play “a positive and proactive role so that these negotiations incorporate clear commitments to restore the rule of law and the exercise of fundamental rights in Venezuela, including ending censorship and repression, freeing political prisoners and allowing aid to enter the country apolitical humanitarian“.

“Venezuela is also going through a very serious humanitarian emergency, in a context in which millions of people do not have access to adequate medical care or nutrition.“, says the letter, which also refers to the “healthcare system collapse“of that country and at difficulties of the population to access medical services.

Due to the humanitarian crisis, more than 7.1 million people have emigrated from Venezuela, of which about 2.5 million settled in Colombia.