The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Tuesday issued an extensive report detailing human rights violations in Venezuela following the presidential election conducted on July 28, 2024.
The report, titled “Venezuela: Serious Human Rights Violations Following the Elections,” outlines a systematic strategy employed by the Venezuelan government to suppress opposition and manipulate electoral processes. According to the report, the government obstructed opposition participation through arbitrary detentions and the co-optation of key electoral institutions during the pre-election period, effectively marginalizing dissenting voices and undermining the electoral framework. Furthermore, the IACHR highlighted that serious irregularities were reported on election day when the government suspended result broadcasts and refused to release voting records, raising substantial allegations of electoral fraud.
The IACHR noted further that numerous independent observers noted discrepancies between official results and opposition tallies, eroding trust in the electoral process. One of the most crucial assertions put forth by the report regarded the aftermath of the elections, noting that widespread protests erupted against alleged fraud and led to violent crackdowns by security forces. The IACHR documented around 300 instances of state violence, resulting in numerous deaths and thousands of arbitrary detentions.
The backdrop of this report is a complex political landscape characterized by decades of economic decline, social unrest, and authoritarian governance under President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela has been embroiled in a deepening crisis since Maduro assumed power in 2013. His administration has been marked by rampant inflation, food shortages, and a mass exodus of citizens, with approximately 8 million Venezuelans fleeing the country due to deteriorating living conditions and political repression.
The July elections were particularly contentious, with Maduro’s government accused of manipulating electoral processes to secure his position. The National Electoral Council, dominated by Maduro loyalists, declared him the victor with a reported 52 percent of the vote despite widespread allegations of fraud and irregularities. The opposition was led by figures like Edmundo González, who was barred from running against Maduro. The opposition claimed they had evidence demonstrating González won by a significant margin.
In response to the election results, mass protests erupted across the country. The government’s crackdown on dissent involved the arrest of 2,000 individuals during this period, with reports of torture and extrajudicial killings surfacing as part of the state’s efforts to stifle opposition.
The latest report released by IACHR not only documents human rights abuses but also contextualizes them within Venezuela’s ongoing struggle for democracy amid rampant authoritarianism and socio-economic collapse. As tensions escalate ahead of Maduro’s third inauguration on January 10, 2025, calls for international intervention and support for democratic processes grow louder.
