Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Ms Shamdasani rejected the US justification for its intervention on the grounds of the Venezuelan government’s “long-standing and appalling” human rights record.
“Accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved through a unilateral military intervention that violates international law,” she stressed.
“This military intervention, which violates Venezuelan sovereignty and… UN Charterdamages the architecture of international security…And this is a point that the Secretary General also made.”
Ms. Shamdasani explained the High Commissioner’s position that the military operation “violates the fundamental principle of international law (and) the UN Charter, which states that states may not use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
Address abuse
The UN Human Rights Office, OHCHRwas expelled from Venezuela in February 2024, after his consistent reporting about the deteriorating situation there. Independent probes on behalf of the Council for Human Rights have also detailed serious and ongoing abuses against opponents of the country’s ruling party.
“The people of Venezuela deserve accountability through a fair, victim-centered process,” Ms. Shamdasani said, adding that the rights of the Venezuelan people “have been violated for too long.”
The OHCHR spokesperson expressed concern that instability and further militarization in the country in response to the US intervention could worsen the situation.
A state of emergency was declared on Saturday restricting the free movement of people, the confiscation of property necessary for national defense and the suspension of the rights to assembly and protest, Ms Shamdasani noted. “We are particularly concerned given the government’s record of suppressing freedom of expression, protest and freedom of assembly under the pretext of national security.”
“The High Commissioner calls on the US and Venezuelan authorities, as well as the international community, to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights,” she said, adding that Venezuela’s future “must be determined solely by the Venezuelan people, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination, and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”
One in four Venezuelans needs help
Today, in addition to the political crisis in Venezuela, nearly eight million people, or one in four people, need humanitarian assistance after years of economic decline, repression and instability.
The UN Aid Coordination Office, OCHAsaid a response plan costing about $600 million is still in place.
“It is very dramatic what has happened at the political level in Venezuela. But for the broad masses of people, their daily humanitarian situation has not changed so radically,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.
“So the situation as it was immediately before [the US intervention] has continued to this day and that is the basis for our work on the humanitarian side this year.”
Of the eight million people identified as in need of assistance, 900,000 have “very high” multisectoral needs, including food, nutrition, education and health care; “Basically everything that the state of Venezuela has not been able to offer to its citizens for a number of years,” Mr. Laerke said.
The OCHA spokesperson added that Venezuela is one of the least funded aid operations in the world. Despite this obstacle, the UN has managed to reach around two million people with aid by 2025.
Refugees on the move
The situation also remains tense for the millions of refugees living outside Venezuela, although there has currently been no major displacement across the country’s borders as a result of Saturday’s US military operation, the UN refugee agency said. UNHCR.
“Of course, we are closely monitoring the situation and cross-border movements, and then we stand together with other UN agencies and humanitarian partners to support emergency response and protect those displaced in need as necessary,” said UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun, also in Geneva.
The agency says nearly 7.9 million people have left Venezuela in search of protection and a better life. The majority – more than 6.9 million people – have found shelter in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
UNHCR works in the Americas and abroad to support the inclusion of Venezuelans in the societies that have welcomed them and find solutions, create stability and promote growth and development in these communities.
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