COFAVIC, created to investigate human rights violations in Venezuela after the “Caracazo” in 1989 has in time become the Venezuelan Human Rights organization with the best reputation for seriousness and integrity. Today COFAVIC issued its yearly report. Here I present some highlights of the full report for those that don’t know me and may think that when I say the Chavez administration has become illegitimate, I am saying it as some sort of opposition fanatic with no ability to be  impartial. It is interesting that Hugo Chavez himself spent many years praising COFAVIC for its work, until the organization criticized his Government for the first time. These are some of the highlights:

-COFAVIC received this year 120 accusations of which it has assumed 62 because it considers them to be relatively grave violations to fundamental rights. They have systematic information that indicates the presence of paramilitary groups in four states who act with impunity in committing crimes.

-COFAVIC believes that that the state of law has progressively weakened in a serious manner. It blames this partially in the lack of independence of certain crucial institutions like the Attorney General, the People’s Defender, the Comptroller’s office and the judicial power. COFAVIC believes these institutions have been the subject of interference by the Executive Power, which distorts and pressures initial phases of police and judicial investigations.

-Impunity has deepened with systematic and ironclad protection for those that violate human rights. Examples include the lack of concrete results about the events of April, the persecution of reporters, human rights defenders and the continuous threats by paramilitary groups in nine states of the country.

-There have been judicial decisions at the First Circuit Court level that have generated a regressive jurisprudence for the protection of human rights which limits the validity of a state of law. It cites the sentences over the conflict over the metropolitan police and the injunction against the oil industry. According to the first one, says COFAVIC, any branch of the Armed Forces could assume police duties and according to the second one, because of its ambiguity, it may produce interpretations that go against individual freedoms, such as detention without orders or forced labor. COFAVIC says there are some rights that can never be suspended, not even in war and some of these decisions imply they can be suspended.

-During December the Government has been executing illegal and arbitrary detentions which violate due process and judicial protection, all of which are guaranteed by the main international instruments subscribed and ratified by the Republic


-During the third quarter, attacks against reporters have become more acute. This includes the attack suffered by Luis Alfonso Fernandez, in favor of whom the CIDH has issued a precautionary measure.

-Crimes have been committed against civilians which have enjoyed impunity and have been executed under the mode of political violence. Examples are the events of November 4th (when the petition to the referendum was handed in) and the Altamira assasination of December 6th.

-During the last quarter, peaceful demonstrations have been repressed with a disproportionate use of public force, not one person has been punished for these. This includes victims of police violence and illegal detentions.

-The Interamerican Commission on Human Rights has issued twelve precautionary orders to Project rights The Venezuelan Government has not fulfilled its obligations, has not given protection to the victims. In one case, a reporter with a precautionary measure in his favor was detained arbitrarily and ahs been threatened. Moreover, the sentence by this Court on the Caracazo forces Venezuela to adjust its operating planes to deal with demonstrations and protest, a decision which ahs been disobeyed by the Venezuelan Government.

– There is increasing political intolerance which ahs degenerated in grave acts of violence. Nobody should repudiate anybody for his political beliefs and COFAVIC asks that hostilities cease against families that hold political beliefs different than their neighbors.

COFAVIC closes by saying: “Because of all of the above, we firmly urge the Venezuelan Government to frame its actions and policies within the principles and obligations contained in the main international instruments for the protection of human rights as the fundamental base for a regime of public liberties. The respect and guarantees of these rights constitute an indivisible and unavoidable obligation for democratic states. Moreover, we encourage all sectors of society to promote a climate of tolerance and friendship, respecting political diversity and action according to the parameters offered by our Constitution and a democratic regimen in general.  

Reading this justifies all the work I have put in into my weblog

This entry was posted on December 26, 2002 at 11:28 pm and is filed under Venezuela.