UN official Volker Turk drew ire of the Venezuelan authorities after condemning what he says are abuses by state forces.
Venezuela’s Nationwide Meeting has voted to declare United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk persona non grata after he publicly criticised the federal government’s human rights violations.
The unanimous Tuesday declaration follows feedback from Turk final week earlier than the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, condemning what he mentioned have been arbitrary detentions and compelled disappearances.
In remarks earlier than the declaration, Meeting President Jorge Rodriguez accused Turk of turning a “blind eye” to different rights abuses, such because the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants residing in the US to a detention facility in El Salvador.
Nevertheless, Turk launched an announcement expressing concern over these deportations in Could, whereas his remarks about alleged abuses in Venezuela come at a time when quite a few human rights organisations have condemned the Venezuelan authorities’ crackdown on political opposition after a contested election final July.
The declaration of Turk as persona non grata doesn’t have a right away affect, however the authorities might transfer to expel his workplace from the nation, as has occurred previously.
Tensions have been excessive in Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in a 2024 presidential election, which the opposition has maintained was fraudulently stolen by the federal government.
Human rights teams have mentioned that the Maduro authorities oversaw a crackdown on dissent after the election, which left dozens dead. Police additionally arrested opposition lawmakers, whom the federal government accuses of collaborating with hostile overseas powers.
A current legislative and regional election noticed lower turnout amid requires a boycott from the opposition and worry of presidency repression.
Whereas the Maduro authorities has criticised the administration of US President Donald Trump for its mass deportation of immigrants residing within the US, which has additionally drawn concern from human rights teams, Venezuela has been open to cooperation with the Trump administration on questions of immigration enforcement, agreeing to receive folks deported from the US in March.
