Anti-Castro militant was acquitted of perjury charges
April 8, 2013
On April 8, 2011, Luis Posada Carriles, an anti-Castro Cuban militant, was acquitted of two counts of perjury and nine counts of making false statements by a jury for the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. These charges were brought following his purported involvement in a 1976 bom....... [more] 
UN rights experts urge Venezuela to release incarcerated judge
February 14, 2013
A group of UN experts on Thursday urged Venezuela to release Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni from prison. Afiuni has been incarcerated since 2009 after she freed a prisoner that the government of President Hugo Chavez wanted jailed. According to her lawyer, Afiuni was raped in prison and subsequently had....... [more]
HRW: Venezuela should end censorship, media intimidation
January 12, 2013
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Saturday called on the Venezuela government to end its censorship and intimidation of media that challenge official reports regarding President Hugo Chavez. Chavez supporters are trying to keep details about his condition and treatment secret, with government agents goin....... [more]
Venezuela will not hold a new election despite Chavez critical health
December 24, 2012
Venezuelan official stated on Saturday that the country will not be holding a new election, even if President Hugo Chavez is unable to take office on January 10 because of his cancer. Although there is a constitutional mandate that the President be sworn in on January 10, Chavez is currently recover....... [more]
UN rights chief urges Venezuela to stay in human rights court
September 12, 2012
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged Venezuela on Tuesday to re-commit to the American Convention on Human Rights, the treaty that empowers the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). Venezuela, under the edict of President Hugo Chavez, withdrew from the court in July, bu....... [more]
Venezuela high court upheld corruption blacklist
August 5, 2012
On August 5, 2008, the Venezuelan Supreme Court upheld a list blocking 272 political candidates from running for office because of suspected corruption. Opponents alleged that many of the names on the list were opponents of President Hugo Chavez. His opposition had previously accused Chavez of pushi....... [more]
Venezuela announced release of 40 percent of prisoners to reduce overcrowding
July 31, 2012
On July 31, 2011, Venezuelan Minister of Prisons Iris Varela announced plans to release up to 40 percent of the country's prisoners in order to reduce overcrowding. Other countries have implemented similar measures, including Bangladesh, which released inmates in June 2008 and August 2010. In June 2....... [more]
Venezuela withdraws from human rights court
July 25, 2012
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday announced that the country would withdraw from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). In a statement during a military ceremony, Chavez announced the withdrawal and criticized the regional court, saying it is not fit to be called a human right....... [more]
Venezuela president said constitutional reforms would protect private property rights
July 22, 2012
On July 22, 2007, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced that constitutional reforms would include private property rights. The proposed reforms would have allowed Chavez to stand indefinitely for reelection, handpick local leaders under a new political map, create new types of communal property....... [more]
UN rights chief says NGO restrictions undermine human rights
April 26, 2012
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed concern Wednesday that recent restrictions on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a number of countries may fundamentally effect freedoms and human rights. Pillay highlighted Egypt, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Belarus, Israel and Venezuela as....... [more]
Former Venezuela top judge accuses government of manipulating judicial decisions
April 19, 2012
A former Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice judge accused the Venezuelan government on Thursday of improperly interfering with judicial decisions in a televised interview. In the interview conducted in the US, former Venezuelan Justice Eladio Aponte Aponte said that judges in Venezuela make the....... [more]
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