HRW calls on Gustavo Petro for silence on Machado's disqualification in Venezuela

With a diplomatic tone, but in a very direct way, The American organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) complained to President Gustavo Petro for his silence regarding the disqualification of the main Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, and asks him to use his influence, both with the Nicolás Maduro regime and with other countries in the region, to have the decision revoked as soon as possible.

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The claim is contained in a letter that the director for the Americas of HRW, Juanita Goebertus, has just sent to President Petro and that was exclusively known to this newspaper.

“I am writing to Your Excellency, on behalf of Human Rights Watch, to express our deep concern about the disqualification of the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Respectfully, I would like to urge the SE government to request, publicly and privately and together with other Latin American governments, that the Venezuelan authorities urgently revoke this decision,” says Goebertus at the beginning of his letter.

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In the letter, HRW recalls that on January 26, the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela confirmed the administrative disqualification of Machado, despite his victory in the primary elections in October last year..

“This decision – the organization maintains – violates their political rights and threatens the rights of all Venezuelans to participate in fair and free elections.”

Why are you warning about the Venezuelan government's decision?

According to Goebertus, the Supreme Court's determination is serious, as it puts into crisis central aspects of the agreements that were reached with the opposition in Barbados to move towards an electoral process this year and, potentially, could end the dialogues between the government and the opposition. aimed at a negotiated solution to restore democracy in Venezuela.

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Sadly, the organization continues, The Supreme Court's decision occurs in a context where there are already extensive restrictions on the right to participate in fair elections, including arbitrary arrests, harassment and restrictions on civil society, the independence press and political opponents..

Reminder to Petro that he himself was a victim of that abuse

HRW also reminds President Petro that he himself was a victim of this type of abuse in the past when he was mayor of Bogotá and that, since then, he has publicly defended other candidates who have been vetoed due to administrative decisions.

As is known, on December 9, 2013, the Attorney General's Office at that time made the decision to dismiss and disqualify Petro for 15 years, alleging the mismanagement of a garbage collection program in the Colombian capital.

(Also: International pressure increases on Venezuela due to the disqualification of María C. Machado)

After several legal maneuvers, Petro went to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, IACHR, which in response issued precautionary measures for violation of his political rights and requested his reinstatement to office..

Thanks to these measures and decisions that followed before the Colombian justice, Petro was able to return to his position. Several years later, in 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Inter-American Court) condemned the state for having violated the political rights of the then mayor.

“As is known, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has concluded that the disqualification of candidates through administrative processes contradicts the American Convention on Human Rights. Based on Article 23 of the Convention, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ordered that Venezuelan authorities be exempt from using administrative procedures to disqualify candidates. “SE suffered similar abusive processes when he was mayor of Bogotá and has spoken publicly in defense of candidates, including Venezuelans, who have suffered similar abusive disqualifications,” HRW recalls in the letter.

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What HRW demands from Gustavo Petro

Goebertus takes advantage of this context to ask Petro to demonstrate both publicly and privately against Machado's disqualification and to join other leaders in the region in demanding that Maduro comply with the obligations of the Barbados agreement, including the revocation of arbitrary disqualifications, the development of an accurate electoral calendar and the holding of elections with international observation by the European Union.

(Also: María Corina Machado will continue with her presidential candidacy, despite the Supreme Court ruling)

“Whatever the political affinity of the region's rulers with Mrs. Machado, defending her right to participate in the elections is defending the right of all Venezuelans, including those who elected her as a representative of the opposition, to participate in fair elections. and free,” says Goebertus, emphasizing that what is involved is not political affinities but the defense of a democratic right.

In the letter, by way of closing, The organization asks Petro to take advantage of his access to the Maduro government and play a positive role at a time that is decisive for the future of Venezuela and must be a priority for both Colombia and the entire region..

Read the full HWR letter below:

SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
On Twitter: @sergom68

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