The Human Rights Institute for peace and freedom has been working to inform, accompany the victims, and influence each of these scenarios. We bear in mind that an international sanctioning resolution, by itself, does not undo the status quo. And hence the importance of continuing to join unions, academies, political groups, plural civil society and the international community to seek the re-institutionalization of the country, which must begin with democratic, fair, impartial, credible elections and with plural international observation.

I. Restitution of the rule of law and democracy:

Nicolás Maduro has deepened a political, social, economic and legal crisis in Venezuela which plunges the country into an institutional deterioration lacking solutions to meet the basic needs of the population. A corrupt justice system, from its dome to the innermost civil servant, with provisional judges and prosecutors completely servile to the orders of the executive branch, characterize a Judicial Power unable to comply with the provisions of the Constitution. The Armed Forces is also added to this pattern of submission of the Executive Power, departing from the duty to comply and enforce the Constitution.

The HRI for peace and freedom, participates in discussion spaces for the reconstruction and restoration of the State of Law and democracy in Venezuela, according to the international parameters and standards of Human Rights, providing analysis and proposing concrete actions to prosecute the country’s institutionality.

II. Migration Crisis and humanitarian aid:

From the institutional crisis, a pattern of frustration and disorder is generated in the Venezuelan population, where food and medicine shortages, the most serious inflation in the country’s history and the highest levels of insecurity and violence in history Venezuela, have caused the greatest humanitarian crisis and the longest transboundary displacement in the history of the American continent and, at the same time, a greater demand and enforceability of rights by large sectors that are severely affected.

From the HRI- for peace and freedom, we join the efforts made by human rights organizations and multilateral organizations, incorporating criteria, in accordance with international standards of human rights care, to implement public policies for displaced persons care, family reunification and return policies.

III. Full freedom of prisoners and political defendants:

Currently, according to figures from non-governmental organizations, research institutes and academics, among others, they indicate that more than 12,000 acts of arbitrary detentions and prosecutions in civil and military courts have been registered until 2018 for demonstrating or dissenting against the Maduro regime. Additionally, there are more than 400 political prisoners detained in conditions of torture, cruel and degrading treatment.

The HRI- for Peace and Freedom maintains the active denunciation and defense of prisoners and persecuted politicians by the Venezuelan State, both nationally and internationally for the protection of their human rights.

IV. Crimes against humanity:

The national dynamic has a negative impact on the rule of law and justice, which is aggravated by: i) repression and detention in response to the manifestations of the population that demands rights and a decent life; ii) persecution and imprisonment of opposition political leaders who demand respect for participation spaces; and iii) the deprivation of the right to life by officials of security forces of the Venezuelan State in a selective and indiscriminate way to a sector of the population.

Given these evidences, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court ordered the preliminary examination of the facts ordered and executed by officials of the Maduro government to determine responsibility for crimes against humanity that occurred in Venezuela, which report more than 20,000 direct and family victims , between extrajudicial executions, torture, cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment and arbitrary detentions.

“HRI-for peace and freedom” assumes the responsibility of continuing the denunciations before the International Criminal Court, with the preparation of a document to present before the ICC called “Evidence and Formulation of arguments and evidence”, containing all the material that It demonstrates the crimes committed under the command and direction of Nicolás Maduro.

V. Full incorporation of Venezuela into the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights and the OAS:

In September of 2012, the Venezuelan government submitted a formal complaint to the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights. The complaint, which seeks to evade the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, was effective as of September 10th, 2013, when it fulfilled the one-year notice provided in Article 78.1 of the Convention. Additionally, on April 27th, 2017, Nicolás Maduro filed a complaint note to the Charter of the Organization of American States so that the international effects of the OAS cease, as regards the Republic of Venezuela.

The HRI-for peace and freedom joins the efforts of other human rights organizations to conduce the institutional route and fully incorporate the Venezuelan State into the OAS and guarantee the protection of citizens within the framework of the Inter-American Convention of Human Rights. During the incorporation process, the HRI-for peace and freedomwill keep the OAS Secretary General and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights informed and documented about the general situation of Venezuela and the denunciation of violations or serious threats to human rights.