Venezuela: UN investigators accuse authorities of crimes against humanity

Cases of killings, torture, violence and disappearances were investigated in a fact-finding mission for the UN Human Rights Council.
The UN team said President Nicolás Maduro and other top officials were implicated.
Venezuela’s UN ambassador has described the mission as a “hostile initiative”.
Ambassador Jorge Valero said last year that the UN action was part of a US-led campaign. The UN team was blocked from travelling into the country.
Venezuela is suffering a severe economic and political crisis. Millions have fled in recent years.
In the report of its findings on Wednesday, the UN team said Venezuela’s security services had been engaged in a pattern of systematic violence since 2014, aimed at suppressing political opposition and generally terrorising the population.
Mr Maduro and the ministers of interior and defence were not only aware of the crimes, but gave orders, co-ordinated operations and supplied resources, the report said.
“The mission found the government, state agents, and groups working with them had committed egregious violations,” it said.
It called on Venezuela to hold those responsible to account and to prevent further violations from taking place.