Photo: REDH Argentina

Buenos Aires, August 19 (RHC)-- The Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity (REDH) in Argentina has denounced to the MERCOSUR Humans Right Parliament, PARLASUR , the climate of violence generated by the extreme right before and after the celebration of the elections on July 28 in Venezuela.

From their position as international observers of the electoral process, the REDH denounced the violent acts generated by fascist elements, and also addressed the consequences and precedents that they had.

In a signed letter, they stated about the violent acts: “These events, in addition to affecting the human rights of the population, contributed to a climate of institutional disinformation and political destabilization in the sovereign Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which has been silenced by the media hegemonic, with larger audiences in the region and the West.”

The Intelectuals cited among the violent acts the complaints made by mercenary groups in Colombia, as was at the time made by the Conquistadors of the Sierra Nevada, who denounced the attempts of the Venezuelan extreme right to hire them for sabotage and terrorist acts.

They also cited the terrorist acts that preceded the elections, which were carried out with the aim of ignoring the election result and creating a chaotic and violent climate among the Venezuelan population.

The letter continues: "The most serious acts of violence were deployed from the 29th day, reported with evidence by the State Prosecutor’s Office which disclosed names and surnames, both the direct actions carried out and their links to criminal groups inside and outside the country”.

The members of REDH also described as a serious violation of human rights, threats to the lives of social leaders of the PSUV, and pointed out the attempts by armed criminal groups to kill uniformed personnel.

“In relation to the most serious violations of human rights, more than 5,000 threats were reported against popular leaders and that «armed criminal groups» would kill uniformed personnel.  Videos of the so-called “comanditos”, organized by the opposition linked to María Corina Machado, were made viral, wearing hoods and threatening to shoot civilians in various states,” the letter said.

According to REDH: “several of these threats against the life and physical integrity of persons and public and private property have been carried out, so that the claim propagated about the repression of “peaceful demonstrators” is false.

Finally, the Network of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity demanded that violent acts against the physical integrity of the Venezuelan state and its citizens be recognized by foreign media.

They also requested: “The full respect that Venezuelan institutions deserve and the recognition of the self-determination of its people, demanding a clear rejection of the gross interference rarely exercised in such a way in any country.”