Human Rights Council
Fifty-sixth session
18 June–12 July 2024
Agenda items 2 and 4
Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the
High Commissioner and the Secretary-General
Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention
Summary
Pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 51/29, in the present report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights focuses on the latest developments related to economic, social and cultural rights and the right to a healthy environment, rule of law and civic space, and the level of implementation of the corresponding recommendations previously issued by his Office to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
I. Introduction and methodology
1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 51/29, in which the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit a comprehensive report on the situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela), containing a detailed assessment of the implementation of the recommendations made in previous reports and to present it to the Council at its fifty-sixth session.
2. The present report covers the period from 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024 and focuses on the latest developments related to economic, social, and cultural rights, the right to a healthy environment, gender, and LGBTIQ+ rights, civic space, and the rule of law. The report is based on information gathered and analysed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including through interviews with victims and witnesses and meetings with Government officials and civil society organizations. It also considers official information from State institutions. On 15 February 2024, the Government of Venezuela announced the suspension of the Letter of Understanding signed with OHCHR, requesting OHCHR personnel to leave Venezuela within 72 hours. OHCHR regrets this development.
3. The findings in the present report have been documented and corroborated in strict compliance with OHCHR methodology. OHCHR exercised due diligence to assess the credibility and reliability of sources and cross-checked the information gathered to verify its validity. It sought informed consent from the interviewees and took appropriate measures to protect their identities and to ensure confidentiality, as appropriate. OHCHR assessed the information collected and domestic legislation, in the light of international human rights norms and standards.
II. Economic, social, and cultural rights and the right to a healthy environment
4. Deficiencies in access to and supply of utilities such as water, electricity and fuel, continued to be exacerbated inter alia by the impact of sectoral sanctions during the reporting period.1 On 18 October 2023, following the signing of the Barbados Agreements, six licences were issued relaxing these sanctions, including in the oil and gas sector.2 On 17 April 2024, the general licence to the oil and gas sector was replaced by a limited licence to reduce operations for 45 days. According to State institutions, as well as humanitarian and human rights organizations, sanctions and overcompliance hindered the receipt of funds and imports of essential goods, including for food and medicine.
5. Despite official figures indicating a five per cent gross domestic product growth in 2023,3 economic challenges such as high inflation4 and devaluation of Venezuelan currency, the bolivar, persisted,5 and continued to restrict purchasing powers, disproportionately affecting groups and communities in vulnerable situations, including the urban poor, those living in rural areas, and particularly women from these populations.
6. Reportedly, structural underfunding and understaffing continued to weaken health and education sectors.6 A report indicated that between July and August 2023, 74.6 per cent of health centres nationwide lacked medical staff, and 73.5 per cent lacked nursing staff,7 thus affecting accessibility, quality and availability of healthcare.8 The national education sector union indicated 80 per cent absenteeism from students at the resumption of the school year in October 2023, due to unaffordability of travel, uniforms, and other needs.9
7. Between 1 and 14 February 2024, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food carried out his first official visit to Venezuela. This visit highlighted the State’s actions to address food insecurity. The Special Rapporteur expressed concern that “[Unilateral] coercive measures significantly limit the Venezuelan government and people's ability to realize the right to food,”10 contributing to the large scale of food insecurity in Venezuela, and disproportionately affecting women and girls. Concluding his visit, the Special Rapporteur also expressed concerns regarding allegations of political instrumentalization of State welfare.11
8. OHCHR reiterates its recommendation to authorities to take all necessary measures, including programmes for improved access to food, to ensure the availability and accessibility of food in sufficient quantity and quality.12