Caracas Chronicles

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, said on Monday that crimes against humanity may have been committed in Venezuela during the protests and urged the Human Rights Council to open an international investigation to confirm these reports. Although Zeid supports the concept of a truth and reconciliation commission, he thinks that the current one is inadequate, speaking of the serious danger that tensions intensify as the government attacks democratic institutions and critical voices with criminal proceedings against opposition leaders, arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force and mistreatment against detainees, “in some cases amounting to torture.”

The government’s truth

Although Foreign minister Jorge Arreaza remarked that he’d defend Venezuela’s truth, he instead accused the UN Office for Human Rights of lying and offending “his country” (he should’ve said government) for accusing them of severe crimes without accurate data or professional research; demanding “an end to attacks against Venezuela through reports plagued with lies, unverifiable information, distorted arguments and insults against our country,” said Arreaza, also denouncing “the Office’s selective, partisan and politicized behaviour,” right before accusing the opposition of being responsible for the violence during protests, quoting Nicolás for his masterful conclusion. Delcy Rodríguez denounced that Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein uses “fake news” to justify an international intervention and that he breaks all moral and ethical norms. She misses her previous job, no doubt.

Other versions

Yesterday, the relatives of political prisoners requested the UN Human Rights Council’s member nations to support the Venezuelan people in our fight for democracy. Zair Mundaray, former Prosecutor’s Office authority, ratified Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein’s report and said the situation’s far worse than it describes. Rosaura Valentine, Yon Goicoechea’s wife, requested the special rapporteur of truth and justice to visit our country and said Venezuela’s membership in the Human Rights Council should be reviewed.

Hillel Neuer, head of UN Watch, said. “It’s time for Venezuela to be suspended from the Human Rights Council.” In a statement released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on behalf of 116 organizations, the human rights activists explain that “Venezuela’s crisis should be a priority for the Council.”

The primaries

Acción Democrática dominated this Sunday’s primaries, winning 11 out of 23 gubernatorial candidacies, in addition to the one they already had by consensus in Nueva Esparta. Primero Justicia won three candidacies aside from those they had by consensus in Cojedes and Vargas; Voluntad Popular won in Barinas, in addition to consensus in Carabobo; La Causa R won in Bolívar, Copei in Monagas and Avanzada Progresista in Lara. Biagio Pillieri and Gabriel Gallo denounced issues in the primaries held in Yaracuy, requesting that they be repeated. PSUV holds to their strategy and that’s why the requested th Prosecutor’s Office: “To prosecute everyone who have been conspiring against Venezuela,” said Darío Vivas, backed by the ANC’s truth committee, to keep adding names to the list of disqualified, arrested or exiled leaders. Meanwhile, the CNE’s yet to establish the date for regional elections but they announced that they’ll inspect the software for voting machines this week. Wow!

Back to human rights

Lawmaker Gilber Caro, accused of treason and of stealing military equipment, began a hunger strike this Monday to demand the military tribunal responsible for his case to order his transfer to Ramo Verde military prison. In a letter posted on Twitter, Caro vows to hold the strike until his request is answered, denouncing in the text that he’s been isolated and tortured. Interior minister Néstor Reverol spoke about the three tons of humanitarian aid (medicines, mattresses, drinking water, blankets, etc.) that they’re sending to Cuba as a way of thanking the island “for everything they’ve done for our country.” While Aragua state’s condition keeps deteriorating, Reverol claimed that they’re monitoring hurricane José. On Sunday, 11 people were murdered in Tumeremo (Bolívar state) during an alleged shootout with Army officers, who reported only two wounded, curiously.

Protecting the bill

Earlier, Reverol announced a new Plan in Defense of the Banknote, remarking that banking institutions engaging in bill-trafficking will be punished, mentioning all the new actions that will be subject to punishment, speaking of Sudeban’s role in the investigations, announcing “unnotified visits to banks” to prevent illegal actions and claiming that the new banknotes were created “to guarantee democratic stability,” so they must be used “to guarantee the assets and services of the people’s cash payments.” Regardless of the inflationary mayhem, the plan will be in force until December 31st. PCV, PPT and UVP expressed their support for Nicolás’ economic measures and proposed the creation of “Gold Bolívar” to confront the war against the bolívar and recover its value…

Narcosobrinos

The Attorney’s Office of New York’s Southern District revealed new details about the case of the presidential couple’s nephews, incriminating them now in the murder of Carlos Galindez, also known as “Carlos Breaker” who, as of June 2015, was the boyfriend of “Rosita” -Jimena Araya, famous for hooking up with leaders of criminal gangs-. Journalist Jessica Carrillo explains that the documents revealed by the prosecution show the contents of WhatsApp conversations between cousins Efraín Campo Flores and Franqui Flores, also including the pictures of Carlos Galindez’s dismembered body, another one of him and Rosita, where Efraín announces his intention to intercede so that she doesn’t end up murdered too. The alleged connection between the narcosobrinos and these kind of crime could bring them a longer sentence, which was going to be announced between September 12th and 13th but was postponed. In @jessycarrillo’s Twitter account you can see the screenshots of WhatsApp conversations and the pictures.

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And that was just Monday, folks. On we go.