UN Accuses Maduro of Crimes Against Humanity While US Lawmakers Pressure Biden to End Oil Export Permits

Venezuelan Dictator Nicolas Maduro’s government has been accused by the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuelan Human Rights violations of committing crimes against humanity. 

Following Dictator Maduro’s defeat in July’s presidential elections, Maduro has directed his government to persecute political opponents employing a series of criminal and violent tactics. 

According to the UN’s report, these include arbitrary deprivations of life, arbitrary detentions, short-term forced disappearances, acts of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as sexual and gender-based violence.

Maduro has harnessed the entire Venezuelan state apparatus, explains the report, to attempt to forcefully retain power.

“Following the presidential election of 28 July 2024, the authorities intensified and accelerated the harshest and most violent form of repression in order to silence political opponents or persons perceived as such,” reads the report. “The repression by State and private actors with the acquiescence of the State, which continues today, has resulted in a generalized climate of fear among the population.”

US lawmakers have responded to Maduro’s pernicious acts by filing a bipartisan bill that will prohibit US companies from doing business with Venezuelan oil companies, a source of funding for Maduro. 

President Joe Biden had previously revoked American companies’ permission to export Venezuelan oil after Maduro flouted promises to host free and fair presidential elections. 

However, President Biden subsequently renewed U.S. oil company Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela.

Now, US lawmakers are requesting Biden terminate all exceptions to Venezuelan oil sanctions in order to cut off any sources of funding for Maduro. 

Other bills seeking to pressure Maduro into relinquishing power, such as raising the price for granting the US government information leading to his arrest, have been filed. 

According to the Department of State, US authorities seek to arrest Maduro for international crimes involving drug and arms trafficking.

In March 2020, Maduro was charged by a New York court with narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.