UN Says ‘Grave Violations’ of Rights Committed in Venezuela

The United Nations called on the Venezuelan government to take “immediate, concrete measures to halt and remedy the grave violations” of economic, social and civil rights, in a report following High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s visit to Venezuela last month.

Nicolas Maduro’s regime has used social programs in a discriminatory manner based on political grounds as a tool for social control, the report said. At the same time, the ruling authorities persecute groups and individuals it perceives as threats, including members of the opposition. Security forces often resort to torture or inhuman treatment, including electric shocks, suffocation, beatings and sexual violence to extract confessions.