A/HRC/41/18/Add.1
Services. All of these establishments function on the new penitentiary regime, in strict
compliance with applicable national and international standards.
54.
In paragraph 47 to 51, the report studies the development of citizen security operations
implemented in the country. In this section, the OHCHR omits information presented by the
Government regarding the sustained decrease in crime indicators in the country, particularly
the homicide rate. This figure is relevant for an objective analysis of the Venezuelan situation.
55.
Indeed, as is mentioned in the response to the questionnaire sent by the OHCHR, 2016
ended with a total of 17,407 homicides (56 for every 100,000 inhabitants), 2017 with 14,655
homicides (47 for every 100,000 inhabitants), and 2018 with 10,598 homicides (33 for every
100,000 inhabitants). As can be observed, there is a marked declining trend in this important
indicator.
56.
Similarly, the analysis on the development of citizen security operations disregarded
official date provided by the State in relation to the investigation and punishment of human
rights violations in the framework of said operations.16
57.
According to data send to the OHCHR, the Office of the Public Prosecutor is aware
of 292 cases linking 388 officers from the FAES, which is assigned to the National Bolivarian
Police Corps, from 2017 to 2019, for the crimes of homicide, cruel treatment and unlawful
home entry. To date, 5 officials of the FAES have been convicted for committing attempted
homicide, improper use of an official weapon and simulation of a punishable act, in the
context of events that occurred in 2018.
58.
In paragraph 56, the report accuses the Office of the Public Prosecutor of failing to
comply with its obligation to investigate and punish human rights violations.17 This allegation
is incorrect and in order to sustain it, data provided by the State must be omitted, both in the
response to the OHCHR (supra 42, 43 and 54) and in the two visits made by the Office to the
country in 2019.
59.
In paragraph 58, the report mentions the measures taken for the comprehensive care
of victims adopted by the Commission for Truth, Justice, Peace and Public Peace. However,
it neglects to mention that the comprehensive care measures implemented by the Commission
are not limited to monetary compensation, but also include legal advisory, psychological
and/or psychiatric care, health care and social protection measures, including housing,
employment and scholarships, among others.
60.
In addition, said paragraph attempts to discredit the actions taken by the Commission,
arguing that the “majority of families” that benefited consider the care provided as a form of
“buying silence.” This accusation is completely false, and furthermore, it is methodologically
unsustainable. The list of families that benefited from the Commission was unknown to the
OHCHR until June 19, 2019, when it was provided by the Government. As such, it would
have been difficult for the Office to interview said people for this report.
61.
In paragraph 60, the report alludes to the alleged presence of armed groups of foreign
nationalities within Venezuela’s territory. This allegation is incorrect. There is no presence
of any armed foreign group in the country. As is well known, Venezuela has historically
suffered the consequences created by the armed conflict that has existed for several decades
in the Republic of Colombia.
62.
In the same paragraph, the report denounces the alleged violation of the “collective
rights of indigenous peoples on their lands”, ignoring all of the information presented by the
16
17
the Western Penitentiary Center (Anexo Femenino del Centro Penitenciario de Occidente); 13)
Women’s Annex to the Andean Region Penitentiary Center (Anexo Femenino del Centro
Penitenciario Región Andina); 14) Island Region Women’s Penitentiary Center (Centro Penitenciario
Femenino Región Insular); 15) Women’s Annex to the Sucre Judicial Confinement Center (Anexo
Femenino del Internado Judicial de Sucre); 16) Women’s Annex to the Monagas Judicial
Confinement Center (Anexo Femenino del Internado Judicial de Monagas) y 17) Women’s Annex to
the Sergeant David Viloria Penitentiary Center (Anexo Femenino del Centro Penitenciario Sargento
David Viloria).
This same omission is repeated in paragraph 77 of the report.
This same omission is repeated in paragraph 79 of the report.
9
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