2024-02-19 22:30:41
Venezuela suspended the activities of the UN High Commissioner’s office, installed in 2019, last Thursday.
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, accused, this Monday (19), “of espionage” and “conspiracy” the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that operated in the country until last week, when the government suspended its activities and expelled employees.
“This office has gone astray. From being a technical advisory office that must respect institutions and, on the contrary, advise on the legal reforms that the country needs, advise institutions to improve, it suddenly turned into an office of internal espionage, of internal conspiracy,” he said. Mature on his television show.
“And then it turned into what we call a law firm, the law firm of the terrorist conspirators, coup plotters and murderers of Venezuela,” continued the president, indicating that the government warned staff several times about the measures to be taken.
Last Thursday, Venezuela suspended the activities of the UN High Commissioner’s office, installed in 2019, in a measure that followed the organization’s statements about the arrest of activist Rocío San Miguel, accused of “terrorism”.
The measure included the expulsion of personnel who, according to Maduro, left the country on Saturday.
“The last straw after so much talk, so much patience, was a recent case with a person involved in these espionage activities […] and they went out to describe the Public Ministry, the judiciary and the country in an abusive way”, added Maduro.
San Miguel was detained on February 9 as she prepared to travel abroad with her daughter, who was also arrested but released on bail.
CONTINUES AFTER ADVERTISING
The Public Ministry accused her of “treason against the country”, “terrorism” and “conspiracy”, linking her “directly” to an alleged plan to assassinate Maduro. Her ex-husband, retired colonel Alejandro José Gonzales, was arrested on suspicion of “revealing political and military secrets”.
Her two brothers and her daughter’s father were also detained and later released.
The arrest caused concern in the High Commissioner’s office, as well as in the United States and the European Union.
Maduro reiterated that Venezuela maintains its commitments to the office in Geneva, but that as long as they “do not retract” and “apologize”, the suspension will be maintained.
CONTINUES AFTER ADVERTISING
© Agence France-Presse
#Maduro #accuses #Human #Rights #office #conspiracy #suspension