Statement at the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue with the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Delivered by Beatriz Borges
Thank you, Mr. President.
Civil society in Venezuela faces increasingly sophisticated repression tactics. Following the presidential election, the State has imposed terror as a mechanism of control, resorting to arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances.
Persecution has forced human rights defenders, electoral witnesses, and political actors into exile, silencing key voices of denunciation and further weakening civic space. The definitive closure of this space has been consolidated through measures such as the “Anti-NGO Law,” which restricts freedom of association and criminalises the work of organisations.
This is compounded by practices such as surveillance, harassment, and the misuse of the judicial system to target those who speak out. The closure of civic space in Venezuela is no longer a threat but a reality, leaving thousands without access to assistance or protection mechanisms.
Women are at the centre of the crisis. Relatives of people arbitrarily detained have played a crucial role in exposing abuses, facing threats and reprisals for demanding justice. At the same time, women human rights defenders, many of whom are community leaders and primary providers for their families, have been targeted by stigmatisation campaigns and persecution for their work. Recent releases from detention do not guarantee justice or reparation, as most judicial proceedings remain open, and politically motivated detentions continue.
We urge this Council to demand guarantees ensuring that organisations can operate without reprisals or arbitrary restrictions. We call on the international community to keep the crisis in Venezuela a priority and to take concrete measures to safeguard human rights.
We thank you.
