Venezuela suspends UN rights office

CARACAS: Venezuela on Thursday suspended activities of the UN rights office in the country and ordered its staff to leave within 72 hours, just days after authorities detained prominent activist Rocio San Miguel.

The United Nations agency had expressed “deep concern” over the detention of the rights activist and asked for her “immediate release.”

San Miguel, 57, was arrested last Friday in the immigration area of an airport in Caracas, sparking an international outcry.

Prosecutors have accused her of “treason” and “terrorism” for her purported role in the latest alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, which the government has said was backed by the United States.

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the UN rights office had taken on an “inappropriate role” and had become “the private law firm of the coup plotters and terrorists who permanently conspire against the country.”

He said the decision would remain in place until the agency “publicly rectifies, before the international community, its colonialist, abusive and violating attitude of the United Nations Charter.”

However, he assured that Venezuela “will continue to cooperate” with the rights agency, OHCHR, in Geneva.

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesman for the UN Human Rights Office who has been present in

Venezuela since 2019, said: “We regret this announcement and are evaluating the next steps.”

“Our guiding principle has been and remains the promotion and protection of the human rights of the people of Venezuela.”

An independent fact-finding mission to Venezuela set up by the UN Human Rights Council — a different body made up of 47 member states — on Tuesday condemned the “intensifying” repression of opponents in the country.