August 1, 2024.– On July 28, presidential elections were held in Venezuela, however, there are well-founded doubts about the veracity of the results proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE), according to which Mr. Nicolás Maduro would have been re-elected.

According to public information, Sunday was a mostly peaceful day in which millions of Venezuelans turned out with enthusiasm and democratic spirit to express their voices at the polls. During this electoral process, we received numerous reports of impediments to voting, mainly with respect to people abroad.

However, the questions regarding the results do not arise only from what happened last Sunday. It is important to remember that the aforementioned elections were held in a context of strong restrictions on civic space, including acts of persecution and criminalization of people that the Government considers political opponents and human rights defenders. Likewise, local organizations and experts have consistently demanded that the national electoral body guarantee independence and impartiality, and in general, they have denounced an alleged co-optation of these institutions by the current government.

Given this context, at RegionaR we join the international call addressed to the Venezuelan authorities to demonstrate in an absolute and transparent way the results emanating from the results corresponding to each polling station so that there is no doubt about what the electoral will of Venezuelan citizens has been.

The undersigned organizations, all members of RegionaR, express our solidarity with the citizens of Venezuela, and with the human rights organizations that serve the general population. We condemn all types of violence, whatever their origin, and we call for dialogue that will restore peace to the country.

We receive with concern news of acts of disproportionate repression of peaceful civic protests that are taking place in various parts of Venezuelan territory, as well as of multiple arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances. In light of this, we vehemently urge the Venezuelan State to respect constitutional guarantees, and respect the rights contained in international treaties, especially those referring to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and to refrain from engaging in acts of repression, persecution, or criminalization. In particular, we recall that the authorities are obliged to protect and provide guarantees so that people can exercise and defend their right to vote and to elect their authorities freely.  A democracy without civil and political liberties and respect for human rights is not a democracy.

RegionaR is a diverse space for analysis of the common factors that threaten and affect human rights, the rule of law, and democracy in the region. In addition, we make calls to action and formulate proposals based on an approach based on successful experiences of resistance, resilience, and new approaches and innovative narratives for the defense of human rights in the region. (www.regionar.org).

Signatory organizations

• Asociación ALFIL – Ecuador
• Asociación Ciudadana ACCEDER – Costa Rica
• Asociación Indígena Taiñ Adkimn – Chile
• Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación (CLADE) – Regional
• Centro Loyola Ayacucho – Perú
• Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más – Nicaragua
• Comité de Familiares de Víctimas del Caracazo – Venezuela
• Foro Indígena Abya Yala – Regional
• Equipo Jurídico por los Derechos Humanos – Honduras
• Fundación Ecuménica para el Desarrollo y la Paz (FEDEPAZ) – Perú
• Fundación Mahuampi Venezuela – Colombia
• Grupo COMUNICARTE – Colombia
• Iepé – Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena – Brasil
• ILEX Acción Jurídica – Colombia
• Instituto de Defensa Legal – IDL – Perú
• Instituto Internacional sobre Raza, Igualdad y Derechos Humanos – Internacional
• Movimiento Sociocultural de trabajo humanitario y ambiental los Trabajadores Haitianos – República Dominicana
• Organización Las Crisálidas – Guatemala
• Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA) – Venezuela
• Servicio Jesuita a Refugiados para Latinoamérica y el Caribe – JRSLAC – Regional
• Servicio Jesuita para Migrantes Costa Rica – Costa Rica
• Servicio Social Pasionista (SSPAS) – El Salvador
• Unidad de Defensa Jurídica (UDJ) – Nicaragua