Venezuela on Friday blasted a “biased” UN Human Rights report on Venezuela, which urged the country to take measure to end “grave” rights violations.
“DOES NOT REFLECT THE REALITY”
Deputy Foreign Minister William Castillo said the report, issued by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, “does not reflect the reality” in Venezuela.
“We demand that its contents be corrected, and we urge you to act in a balanced and respectful way,” Castillo told UN Human Rights Council. He added that the South American country would heed “constructive” recommendations.
His remarks came a day after in the report the UN rights chief called on Venezuela to take “immediate measures” to halt and remedy the “grave” violations of economic, social, civil, political and cultural rights documented in the country.
If the situation in the South American country does not improve, the “unprecedented” outflow of Venezuelan migrants and refugees will continue, and “the living conditions of those who remain will worsen,” said Thursday’s report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office.
The report is based on 558 interviews with victims and witnesses of human rights violations and the deteriorating economic situation, in Venezuela and eight other countries, as well as other sources. It covers the period from January 2018 to May 2019.
The majority of victims have not had effective access to justice and remedies, the State is “violating its obligations” to ensure the rights to food and health and the health situation in the country is dire, according to the report.