VENEZUELA, 17 September 2020 (TON):UN appointed panel of investigators that published its findings on 16 September 2020. As part of their work, the investigators examined 16 police, military or joint operations that resulted in 53 extrajudicial executions. They also reviewed 2,552 more incidents involving 5,094 killings by security forces, not all of which were arbitrary. 

The investigators highlighted “Senior military and ministerial figures were likely aware of the crimes”. The Report said, “They gave orders, coordinated activities and supplied resources in furtherance of the plans and policies under which the crimes were committed.” It highlighted, that President Nicolas Maduro also likely side-tracked the chain of command, to ensure the commission of crimes, including the head of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).

Investigator Francisco Cox claimed in the report, “We have reasonable grounds to believe that the President Maduro did give orders to the director of SEBIN as to who to target”.. “After that, these people were surveilled, information was gathered, their communications were intercepted and finally they would be detained without judicial order, just because there was such an order by the President.” He pointed out, “We have involvement on contribution to the crime by Mr. Maduro, either directly through the chain of command”, or sometimes bypassing commanders, “and giving the direct order.”

The Report said, “Increasingly violent response” to mass opposition protests including last year. Alleged violations included the killing of 36 protesters, as well as torture in detention, including beatings and humiliation, sexual and gender-based violence and mock executions. 

The Report said that these crimes were part of a widespread and systematic course of conduct, thus amounting to crimes against humanity and call further action by the International Criminal Court (ICC), along with justice and reparations for the victims and their families.

If we recall in March 2020, the United States announced a reward of $15 m for information leading Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s arrest. The US charged Venezuela's President and other senior officials in the country with narco-terrorism, flooding the US with cocaine and using drugs as a weapon to undermine the health of Americans. US and Venezuela remained biter enemies of each other.