UN authoritative Volker Turk drew ire of the Venezuelan authorities aft condemning what helium says are abuses by authorities forces.
Published On 1 Jul 2025
Venezuela’s National Assembly has voted to state United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk persona non grata aft helium publically criticised the government’s quality rights violations.
The unanimous Tuesday declaration follows comments from Turk past week earlier the UN Human Rights Council successful Geneva, condemning what helium said were arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances.
In remarks earlier the declaration, Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez accused Turk of turning a “blind eye” to different rights abuses, specified arsenic the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants surviving successful the United States to a detention installation successful El Salvador.
However, Turk released a connection expressing interest implicit those deportations successful May, portion his remarks astir alleged abuses successful Venezuela travel astatine a clip erstwhile galore quality rights organisations person condemned the Venezuelan authorities’ crackdown connected governmental absorption aft a contested predetermination past July.
The declaration of Turk arsenic persona non grata does not person an contiguous impact, but the authorities could determination to expel his bureau from the country, arsenic has occurred successful the past.
Tensions person been precocious successful Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro declared triumph successful a 2024 statesmanlike election, which the absorption has maintained was fraudulently stolen by the government.
Human rights groups person said that the Maduro authorities oversaw a crackdown connected dissent aft the election, which near dozens dead. Police besides arrested absorption lawmakers, whom the authorities accuses of collaborating with hostile overseas powers.
A caller legislative and determination predetermination saw lower turnout amid calls for a boycott from the absorption and fearfulness of authorities repression.
While the Maduro authorities has criticised the medication of US President Donald Trump for its wide deportation of immigrants surviving successful the US, which has besides drawn interest from quality rights groups, Venezuela has been unfastened to practice with the Trump medication connected questions of migration enforcement, agreeing to receive radical deported from the US successful March.
Source:
Al Jazeera and quality agencies