HRW tells Brazil, Colombia and Mexico that repeating elections in Venezuela would be a “mockery”

Human Rights Watch (HRW) addressed the presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico on Tuesday, August 27, to point out that repeating the presidential elections in Venezuela would be a “mockery” and granting a general amnesty “would violate international law and affect the rights of victims of atrocities.”

Juanita Goebertus Estrada, director of the Americas Division of HRW, states in her letter to the Brazilian Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Colombian Gustavo Petro and the Mexican Andrés Manuel López Obrador, that The human rights organization is “concerned” about three specific proposals made by them to resolve the Venezuelan crisis.

Stressing that a “credible” negotiation between all parties involved is the best way to protect human rights in Venezuela, HRW disagrees with the proposals of Lula, Petro and López Obrador to repeat the elections, trust the Venezuelan Supreme Court and grant a general amnesty.

HRW also mentions in the letter “the government repression” that followed the announcement of the electoral results by the CNE and says it has received “credible reports” of 23 protesters and bystanders, as well as a member of the Bolivarian National Guard, killed in the context of the protests.as well as a “wave of arbitrary arrests” that have affected some two thousand people, including minors and the disabled.

In this “alarming context,” HRW welcomes “the efforts of governments in Latin America, Europe and the United States to ensure respect for the popular will expressed at the polls on July 28, as well as to put an end to widespread human rights violations in the country.”

However, he disagrees with the Brazilian government’s proposal, supported by Colombia, to hold new elections to end the crisis.

“A basic premise of any election is that it must reflect the expressed will of the people and result in the peaceful transfer of power to the winning candidate or candidates according to pre-established formulas. Repeating the elections because the Maduro government is not willing to disclose and accept the results of the July 28 elections would be a mockery to this basic democratic principle,” HRW says.

However, the letter adds, “we agree with your governments that a solution to the crisis in Venezuela should include guarantees for all political parties to participate in public affairs.”

Regarding the defense of the “institutional route” to resolve the disputes over the electoral result made by Lula, Petro and López Obrador, HRW praises that once the Supreme Court of Justice validated Maduro’s victory on August 22, The three presidents who received the letter chose not to give their recognition until the minutes broken down by voting table are released.as required by the high court’s ruling.

“We urge your governments to insist on independent verification of the results.“which should be carried out by a credible and impartial third party,” he stressed.

Regarding the proposal for a “general amnesty,” HRW notes that “under international law, governments have an obligation to investigate and prosecute serious human rights violations and international crimes.”“and recall that the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, as well as national and international human rights organizations, have documented serious human rights violations in the country.”

“Respecting these obligations under international human rights law will require strategic criminal investigations that prioritize the prosecution of those most responsible for atrocities and focus on the most serious and egregious crimes,” HRW concludes.