OAS claims that Maduro's dictatorship exercises 'terrorism practices' in Venezuela

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), a body that works under the Organization of American States (OAS), evidenced the systematic violations carried out by the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro against the human rights of Venezuelans.

In its annual report published Thursday, the IACHR described as "terrorism practices" each and every one of the actions carried out by Maduro and his government against citizens, with the goal to "instill terror" and "silence" all those who oppose his policies.

"State terrorism practices [are] aimed at instilling fear and repressing social protests in order to consolidate the regime's power," the IACHR detailed in its report.

The documented violations included: "Among the documented violations are: extrajudicial executions, short-term forced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, cancellation of passports, violent deaths, and a myriad of violations of judicial guarantees and freedom of expression," the organization said.

The IACHR stressed that Maduro's dictatorship has "a coordinated repressive strategy" aimed at eliminating any hint of opposition and "illegitimately perpetuate itself in power," something it achieved in the last election.

"The political and human rights crisis in Venezuela is the result of the total co-optation of state institutions by a regime that seeks above all to maintain itself illegitimately in office," added the IACHR.

Among the different "terrorism practices" that Maduro has carried out against the opposition, the organization highlighted the persecution against Vente Venezuela and against its leader, María Corina Machado, through public agencies such as the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) or the Bolivarian National Police (PNB).

Same sentiment for the Díaz-Canel dictatorship

In the same report, the IACHR also referred to Miguel Díaz-Canel's dictatorship in Cuba, about whom it said its objective is to "systematically intimidate and repress" the opposition.

"The IACHR notes that Cuba continues to face structural human rights challenges.

These challenges are rooted in the aforementioned absence of the essential elements of representative democracy, especially the continuity of a single-party model, the absence of free elections and political pluralism, and the prohibition of association for political purposes," the organization stated.

"On the one hand, there is an active tendency on the part of the State to systematically intimidate and repress those who express disagreement with the government or are considered dissidents/opponents of the Communist Party. On the other, it prevents implementation of the reforms needed to reestablish the separation and independence of public powers, improve living conditions, and combat impunity in cases of human rights violations," it concluded.