The UN renews its fact-finding mission for Venezuela for another two years

Geneva.- The UN Human Rights Council approved a resolution extending the mandate of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela for another two years, days after it noted in its latest report that the regime’s repressive machinery remained “intact” following the fall of Nicolás Maduro.

The text approved this Tuesday acknowledges recent positive developments in Venezuela, such as the restoration of cooperation and dialogue with the UN Office for Human Rights, but continues to express concern over “ongoing and serious violations and abuses.”

The resolution was approved with 25 votes in favor, 17 abstentions, and five votes against (China, Cuba, Vietnam, Egypt, and Burundi).

Reports on the situation during the Council sessions in 2027 and 2028

The text requests the three-expert mission, established in 2019 and currently composed of Sofía Macher (Peru), Alex Neve (Canada), and María Eloísa Quintero (Argentina/Mexico), to present reports on the human rights situation in Venezuela during the sessions the Council will hold in the autumn of 2027 and 2028.

Before the vote, the Venezuelan delegation to the Council expressed opposition to the mission continuing its mandate, stressing that “the time has come to move beyond scrutiny mechanisms established without the consent of the State concerned.”

“We also consider it necessary that any renewal of this mechanism includes a clear perspective for its termination. Extraordinary mechanisms should not be perpetuated indefinitely nor renewed automatically,” the delegation added.

In previous days, expert Sofía Macher, president of the mission, had argued that its work was more important than ever to be able to verify if effective changes are taking place in Venezuela, particularly in the face of a potential political transition scenario.

This Tuesday’s resolution shows concern over “persistent deficiencies in the rule of law, civic space, and the independence of the judicial system” in Venezuela, which in its opinion threaten to contribute to “widespread impunity.”

It therefore urges the Bolivarian Republic to respect and protect the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, calls for an end to restrictions on civic and democratic space, and exhorts the “immediate and unconditional” release of all persons arbitrarily detained.

It also recalls that the prolonged humanitarian and human rights crisis in Venezuela forced millions of people to leave the country, and therefore recognizes the great efforts that other countries, especially in the region, continue to make to host Venezuelan migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.