No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsLatin AmericaVenezuela condemned by OAS for 'systematic' rights abuses

Venezuela condemned by OAS for ‘systematic’ rights abuses

The Organization of American States passed a resolution Wednesday condemning “grave and systematic” human rights abuses in Venezuela, and demanded an independent investigation.

The regional security body, which comprises every country in the western hemisphere but Cuba, passed the resolution by a 21 to 3 vote.

Seven members abstained and three were absent for the vote.

The resolution echoed charges of torture, extrajudicial killings and force disappearances made last month against Venezuela’s leftist regime by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

It condemned “the grave and systematic violations of human rights in Venezuela, including the use of torture, illegal and arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances and the denial of the most basic rights and necessities, especially those related to health, food and education.”

It also called for “an independent, exhaustive and credible investigation” to bring the perpetrators to justice, and demanded that Venezuela grant “immediate and unhindered” access to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The commission, an autonomous body of the OAS, has been unable to visit Venezuela since 2002, during the presidency of Maduro’s predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez.

The US representative Alexis Ludwig said the vote was “an important call to action.”

The resolution was presented by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States, Guatemala, Paraguay and Peru.

The United States has led an international effort to force the resignation of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro to clear the way for elections.

But Maduro has so far manage to survive a challenge from US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido, a short-lived military uprising and massive street protests.

Under Maduro, the once-rich oil producer has spiraled into a severe crisis that has driven millions of Venezuelans to leave the country.

Trending Now

Expat Guide to Bilingual Schools in Guanacaste Costa Rica

When my wife and I moved to Costa Rica we were gloriously young and childless. Needless to say, childhood educational options were absent from...

Trump Authorizes CIA Ops in Venezuela as US Weighs Land Strikes

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday authorized CIA operations against Venezuela and said he was considering carrying out ground attacks against drug cartels...

What Camera Traps Miss Chasing Jaguars in Costa Rica

Five years ago, I began my journey using camera traps in wildlife monitoring projects in Costa Rica. A few years after that I began...

Costa Rica’s Liberia Airport Fixes Runway Issues Overnight

Contractors began repairs on the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport this week, focusing on sections that did not meet required standards after...

Costa Rican President Brushes Off Surge in Homicides

President Rodrigo Chaves has again brushed off Costa Rica's mounting security problems, labeling them as misunderstandings in a recent interview. Speaking on FOX Noticias,...

Costa Rica Monitors Caribbean Tropical Wave with 70% Storm Chance

Those who live along the Caribbean coast know all too well how quickly weather can turn in October. Right now, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica