HRW on Maduro's dictatorship: 'He has killed, tortured, detained and forcefully disappeared people'

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report highlighting the systematic human rights violations by Nicolás Maduro's regime to maintain his hold on power in Venezuela.

The study focuses on the period after the July 28, 2024, presidential elections, which were won by the opposition but stolen by the regime.

HRW's report is based on 100 interviews with victims of illegal repression, their families, eyewitnesses, and other human rights organizations active in the Caribbean country. It also includes over 90 videos and photographs that provide evidence of a state and para-state apparatus persecuting the political opposition under the orders of Maduro and his administration.

"The Venezuelan government has killed, tortured, detained and forcefully disappeared people seeking democratic change," said Juanita Goebertus, Americans director at Human Rights Watch, in the document.

The activist added that the international community should reaffirm its commitment to democracy and human rights in that nation, and "press to hold the Maduro government accountable for its atrocities."

Killings during protests according to the report

Under the title "Killings during the protests," the organization details the murders carried out by the Caribbean dictatorship during mass demonstrations demanding that Maduro acknowledge the electoral victory of Edmundo González Urrutia, who secured over 60% of the vote according to official records.

Although the dictatorship blamed the deaths on the opposition, the investigation identified security forces—including the GNB and the Bolivarian National Police (PNB)—as responsible for the killings.

In addition to documenting nine specific cases of killings by the regime, HRW reports on forced disappearances and abuses in detention centers operated by Venezuela's dictatorship.

More than 2,000 people detained in connection with protests and political opposition

The report also notes that, while the exact number is unclear, more than 2,000 people have been detained in connection with protests and political opposition since the July 28 elections. Maduro and Attorney General Tarek William Saab have repeatedly claimed that those arrested were allegedly involved in "violent acts, terrorism, and other crimes."

However, Human Rights Watch found that those detained were merely participating in protests, expressing criticism of the government, or belonging to the political opposition. Nearly all were taken to prison without an arrest warrant, often by hooded individuals who claimed to be law enforcement officers.

The report also denounces the routine use of torture and unlawful coercion against political prisoners detained by the Venezuelan regime.

The complaint details more than 12 cases of ill-treatment, including beatings, electric shocks, asphyxiation, and isolation. Human Rights Watch also documented the use of punishment cells.

Illegal detention of children and adolescents in Venezuela

One of the most troubling findings of the investigation is the illegal detention of children and adolescents, who were accused of being terrorists. The report states that, in the initial days following their arrest, authorities even prevented some minors from receiving visits from their parents or guardians.

HRW also received credible reports that security agents in prison attempted to coerce girls into sex in exchange for protection. Children in detention have endured severe mental health consequences as a result.

In its comprehensive dossier, HRW also details the situation of prisoners from the political opposition. In this section, the report highlights the arbitrary detention of María Corina Machado, leader of the Venezuelan opposition and the main political challenger to dictator Nicolás Maduro.

Machado was missing for hours as the regime solidified its hold on power through an unprecedented electoral fraud in Latin America.