A/HRC/19/12 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its twelfth session from 3 to 14 October 2011. The review of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was held at the 10th meeting on 7 October 2011. The delegation of Venezuela was headed by Nicolas Maduro Moros, Political Vice-President and Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs. At its 14th meeting, held on 4 October 2011, the Working Group adopted the report on Venezuela. 2. On 20 June 2011, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Venezuela: Burkina Faso, Czech Republic and Guatemala. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of Venezuela: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/12/VEN/1 and Corr.1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/12/VEN/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/12/VEN/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom was transmitted to Venezuela through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The chief of the delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Nicolas Maduro Moros, Political Vice-President and Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the Venezuelan people had fought throughout the past 12 years of revolutionary process a historic battle that had made it possible -- 200 years after Independence -- to seek the objective of the Liberator Simon Bolívar, who declared in 1819 that “the most perfect system of government is that which produces the greatest possible amount of happiness, the greatest social security and the greatest political stability.” 6. Venezuela has ratified nine international instruments and recently signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture; the Convention on the Protection of Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families; and the Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 7. The preparation of the national report was a broad and popular exercise that included a working group composed of the entire Government that carried out 75 meetings, with consultations with hundreds of Community Councils and NGOs, and used the website www.epuvenezuela.gob.ve. 3