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Almagro said that the repression of dissidents in Venezuela worsened in the first months of this year, after President Nicolás Maduro began a second term until January 20, 2025, unknown until now by more than 50 countries, considering it the result of elections. fraudulent
Among other abuses, he pointed to "sadistic psychological and physical torture," "brutal beatings," "electric shocks," "asphyxiation," and "sexual violations," and said that the victims are not only civilian and military opponents, but also their relatives.
Almagro also accused Cuba of exporting its "failed model" to Venezuela and of collaborating in the repressive actions in exchange for the oil it receives from Caracas.
"The Cuban dictatorship has accumulated six decades perpetrating an unsuccessful system that prevents its people from enjoying their political, civil, economic and social rights. This has been transferred in his intervention in Venezuela to export an unsuccessful model and maintain the flow of oil, "said Almagro.
"The Cuban regime organizes intelligence courses for Venezuelan intelligence officers throughout the country," he added.
Almagro called on the international community not to tolerate this situation, which he considered contrary to the principles of the inter-American system for supporting an "illegitimate" government.
"Until today the international community has normalized the Cuban regime and its repressive system. We must not accept this situation, much less this flagrant intervention in Venezuela, "he said.
Almagro requested in late May the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela under Maduro's government as of February 2014.
"Maduro's despair"
Eight cases of extrajudicial killings of dissidents and 40 new cases of torture, including minors, are documented in the last report of the NGO CASLA Institute on the commission of crimes against humanity in Venezuela, presented at the headquarters of the Organization of the American States (OAS).
"The torture has not stopped, on the contrary it has been increased by the despair of Maduro, who feels that he loses control," said the executive director of CASLA, Tamara Suju, who highlighted the performance of armed paramilitaries known as "collectives" in connivance with the security forces.
Suju said that the repression of critical military officers of the government has worsened in recent months.
Lieutenant Ronald Dugarte, who worked in the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCM) in Venezuela from August 2018 until he defected on February 27, said via Skype that there are about 70 prisoners in the Boleita headquarters in northern Caracas. Both "politicians" and "kidnapped for not paying extortion".
They are treated "like animals," he said, and described "atrocities" such as those detailed earlier by Almagro.
Dugarte, currently in exile, reported the training of Cuban officers in 2015 and reported joint missions of Venezuelan and Cuban intelligence militias last year throughout the country, "always sowing hatred for anyone who is against communism."
He also showed videos that he said he had recorded clandestinely between December and January, in which he saw a prisoner blindfolded and handcuffed and another who reported urinating blood and not receiving medical attention.
Dugarte said that other soldiers like him reject this situation, but do not denounce it publicly because "they fear that the regime will do something against their relatives."
CASLA had already denounced last November at the OAS that victims of torture in Venezuela said they had been martyred by people with a "Cuban accent".
Venezuela and Cuba have close ties since Hugo Chávez came to power in 1999. Caracas became a strategic partner of Havana, after almost a decade of economic crisis on the island after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Venezuelan government strengthens blockade of border bridge with Colombia
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Cúcuta, Colombia, the Venezuelan authorities reinforced the blockade of a border bridge with Colombia by placing new obstacles, almost a month after the failed attempt of the opposition to enter donations from the United States.
A tanker tank and 15 containers were deployed in the three channels of the Tienditas viaduct, which connects the cities of Ureña (Venezuela) and Cúcuta (Colombia). Previously there was a tank and two cargo tanks.
"We want peace," reads two of the containers, some loaded with sand and debris.
Venezuelan military blocked the binational passage in early February, in the pulse for the entry of food and medical supplies managed by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, recognized as interim president of Venezuela by more than 50 countries led by the United States.
The obstacles and a strong military presence prevented the entry of cargo from Cucuta on February 23, which generated heavy disturbances on the Venezuelan side.
The authorities also thwarted the entry of another batch of aid through the border with Brazil, where clashes left seven dead.
On the eve of these operations, the government of socialist President Nicolás Maduro ordered the closure of the border with Colombia by the state of Táchira (west), where the point is, arguing that the donations were a pretext for a US invasion.
The road structure has not yet been inaugurated. It was to be released in 2016, but the temporary closure of the 2,200-kilometer border - ordered by the Maduro government at the end of 2015 and partially lifted months later - delayed its opening.
On February 28, Colombia denounced that three of the four border bridges are at risk of collapse due to overweight that the Venezuelan authorities place them to keep them blocked.
