Academics, scientists, university staff: Against violations of human rights in Venezuela
FROM VENEZUELA - TO OUR COLLEAGUES
We, a group of Venezuelan scientists, researchers, professors and university staff, extremely worried about the recent complex developments in our country, have decided to write our colleagues in order to communicate what is currently happening throughout the academic and scientific networks.
For some time now democracy in Venezuela has shown very disturbing signs of deterioration endangering fundamental civil and human rights. Among others we highlight a distressful economic and social situation characterized by extreme inflation (56% in 2013, 76% in foods and beverages), shortage of basic goods (28% in 2013) including essential medical and healthcare products, very high violence indicators (more than 70 violent deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants, one of the highest in the world) and 92% of legal impunity in addition to repeated violations of human rights and increasing restrictions to freedom of press and access to information as reported by international organizations.
Our current government does not comply with what is established in the Venezuelan Constitution as well as international democratic regulations. Separation of powers has been overridden by an extreme concentration of power in the executive branch.
Public universities are harassed economically and by armed violent pro-government groups, lending quality research and teaching extremely difficult. Knowledge production and application has decreased significantly further isolating our scientific development from worldwide research.
The future of our country is unclear. Facing out of control violence and economic uncertainty young students are skeptic in regard to their future. Many have emigrated, and those who have stayed are now demanding a change guaranteeing better conditions.
As a result of this student mobilization we have assisted to a systematic violation of the Constitution and regulations, characterized by the use of excessive force in the control of manifestations (including the use of arms explicitly forbidden in these cases) which have caused several deaths, many cases of gun wounded, arbitrary arrests not complying to mandatory legal procedures, without a right to a legitimate defense, missing persons, physical and psychological torture of detainees, breaking and entering of private property without warrants, threatening actions against private homes using firearms, tanks and teargas and finally violent actions against demonstrators and property by armed paramilitary groups acting , if not directly in association with police and armed forces , at least without any action to prevent it. All these accusations are sustained by photographs and videos produced nationwide and which can be seen at the links of several national and international human rights ONGs, some of which are included at the end of this letter.
The facts described above cannot be tolerated under any circumstance. We firmly believe in dialogue and the construction of a culture of peace as the best way to solve the urging problems our country is currently facing. However, this will only be possible when the government complies to the Constitution and other regulations as well as regional and international treaties such as el Pacto de San José, the legal framework of Unasur or the UN declaration. We call upon our colleagues in order to help us diffuse this statement across regional and international scientific and academic networks.
Caracas, February 21, 2014
http://www.derechos.org.ve/
http://www.derechos.org.ve/2014/02/18/mosbase-rechaza-ola-de-represion-y-violencia-ocurrida-en-el-pais/
http://www.conflictove.org.ve/
http://www.conflictove.org.ve/derechos-humanos/ai-accion-urgente-mundial-por-venezuela-tres-manifestantes-muertos.html
http://www.conflictove.org.ve/derechos-humanos/human-rights-watch-venezuela-debe-investigar-la-violencia-durante-protestas.html
http://www.cofavic.org/
http://www.cofavic.org/det_noticia.php?id=259
EXCLUSIVO: Comunicado Movimiento Estudiantil 2014
https://twitter.com/FCEUSB/status/436953950168690688/photo/1