UN Alerts to Ongoing Torture and Abuse of Detainees in Venezuela Despite Maduro's Ouster

The United Nations' leading human rights authority has raised alarms about the ongoing torture and mistreatment of detainees in Venezuela, even after the January ousting of former president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces and the establishment of an interim government under Delcy Rodríguez.

Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed the U.N. Human Rights Council, revealing that his office continues to receive alarming reports regarding "the continued torture and mistreatment of detainees, particularly in the Rodeo 1 and Fuerte Guaicaipuro" facilities. He noted that numerous Venezuelans remain in "arbitrary detention," including at least one minor, as reported by various sources.

Rodríguez, who served as Maduro's vice president and now leads the interim government, has enacted an amnesty law aimed at releasing thousands of detainees. While Türk acknowledged this initiative, he emphasized that "structural and systemic human rights concerns have persisted" despite Maduro's removal from power.

According to Venezuela's parliament, over 7,700 individuals have been granted "full freedom" under this new law; however, many were already under house arrest or parole. The prisoners' rights organization Foro Penal has verified fewer than 700 actual releases and estimates that over 500 individuals remain imprisoned for political reasons.

Türk stated that the U.N. had sought an official list of those released and requested access to detention centers but has yet to receive a response. "We have requested the official list of those released, as well as unfettered access to several detention centres, so far without success," he informed the council.

In response, Venezuela's foreign minister, Yván Gil, dismissed Türk's comments as "unfounded," accusing the U.N. rights office of echoing claims from political adversaries. In a statement, Gil asserted that the high commissioner was perpetuating a "biased narrative" against Venezuela and acting as "a sounding board for falsehoods."

A recent report from the U.N.'s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission indicated that the country's "repressive state" remains unbroken, documenting 87 politically motivated detentions since Maduro's removal and asserting that "institutional structures facilitating human rights violations have not been dismantled."

Lawyer María Eloisa Quintero, representing the mission, stated that Venezuela cannot be viewed as progressing toward reform "unless and until that repressive apparatus is dismantled."

International human rights organizations have also voiced concerns regarding the situation following Maduro's ouster. Human Rights Watch warned that the leadership change could "consolidate the country's repressive government as long as it aligns with U.S. political and business interests," while Amnesty International criticized the operation that led to Maduro's removal, cautioning that it might reinforce authoritarian practices rather than eliminate them.

"Two wrongs don't make a right," stated Amnesty Secretary General Agnès Callamard, contending that both Venezuelan state abuses and U.S. actions warrant scrutiny.