Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has continued to crack down on dissenters in the country, following the disputed presidential election held on July 28. A recent report by Laboratorio de Paz, a human rights group, has revealed that at least 40 individuals, mostly journalists and activists, have had their passports revoked without explanation. The group claims that the actual number of affected individuals may be higher, as it does not account for those who had their passports confiscated at Simón Bolívar International Airport.
According to Rafael Uzcátegui, co-director of Laboratorio de Paz, the government has found passport cancellation to be an effective way to silence critics with minimal effort. “It’s a form of abuse that is often overlooked,” he told the Financial Times. Unlike previous reports of arrests and harassment of protesters, the passport revocation is seen as a more subtle form of revenge by the Maduro regime against those suspected of opposing the election results.
The presidential election was widely contested, with exit polls showing a significant lead for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. However, the National Electoral Council, a government agency, declared Maduro the winner. The opposition party has since presented evidence of voter tally sheets, which appear to show that Gonzalez received 6.2 million votes, while Maduro received 2.7 million.
The international community has condemned the Maduro regime’s handling of the election and the subsequent crackdown on protesters. Human Rights Watch has identified “widespread human rights violations” and called on governments to push for independent verification of the electoral results. “The repression we are seeing in Venezuela is shockingly brutal,” said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Concerned governments need to take urgent steps to ensure that people are able to peacefully protest and that their vote is respected.”
The Venezuelan government’s actions have been met with widespread criticism, with many accusing Maduro of manipulating the election results to maintain his grip on power. The situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with ongoing protests and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The international community continues to call for greater accountability and respect for human rights in the country.
