The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Paraguay deplore the deterioration of the situation and the resurgence of violence in Venezuela that has led to an increasing number of deaths and hundreds of wounded since April 6.
We condemn the excessive use of force by Venezuelan authorities against the civilians who march to protest the measures taken by the government that affect democratic stability, further polarize Venezuelan society and cause the loss of human lives, mostly of young people.
We strongly call on the Venezuelan government to respect its citizens’ human rights as set forth in its Constitution.
As a current member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Venezuela is obligated to adhere to the highest standards for promoting and protecting human rights in compliance with the commitments and obligations associated with the international human rights treaties it has signed and ratified.
We reiterate the importance of adhering to an electoral timetable, releasing the political prisoners, restoring the functions of the democratically-elected National Assembly and ensuring the separation of powers in order to stabilize the situation in Venezuela and in strict adherence to the rule of law.
Lastly, we urge all sectors not to support actions that lead to more violence and we state our conviction that the time has come to achieve an inclusive national agreement that provides a lasting solution to the dire situation in Venezuela.