Thank you
We reaffirm our support to the Venezuelan people, who are in our thoughts following Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes and resulting casualties.
Mr Vice President,
We thank the High Commissioner for his recent report and the continued engagement of his Office in Venezuela.
Some encouraging measures have been implemented, including the release of political detainees and the announcement of reforms.
We also welcome recent dialogue between the Venezuelan authorities and representatives of the opposition, and encourage continued engagement to support progress towards a return to democratic norms.
These developments represent a positive step and have the potential to improve the human rights situation on the ground.
We hope that the coming months see continued progress on remaining challenges including restrictions on civic space, arbitrary detention and concerns around due process.
In this context, we reiterate our call on the Venezuelan authorities to release those who remain arbitrarily detained, to continue to strengthen the rule of law, and to ensure an environment in which civil society, media and political actors can operate freely and safely.
We also underline the importance of constructive cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner and other international mechanisms, including by facilitating their full access, in support of accountability and sustainable reform.