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A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 5 July 2019
UN: 5,287 killings in Venezuela security operations in 2018

By JAMEY KEATEN visits by U.N. observers in
SCOTT SMITH March to jails, hospitals,
Associated Press public housing programs
GENEVA (AP) — Venezu- and distribution centers for
ela’s government regis- medicine and food, and
tered nearly 5,300 killings said it “omits in its entirety
during security operations the achievements and ad-
last year linked to cases vances achieved” by the
of “resistance to author- country in the field of hu-
ity,” the U.N. human rights man rights.
chief reported Thursday, Maduro’s government has
denouncing a “shockingly been struggling to regain
high” number of extrajudi- control of the international
cial killings. narrative about the oil-rich
Michelle Bachelet’s report country, notably through its
focusing on the last 18 recent overtures to interna-
months follows her trip to tional groups like the Red
the troubled South Ameri- Cross and U.N. agencies —
can country last month and many of which are trying to
draws upon over 550 inter- help beleaguered civilians.
views conducted by her The U.N. says that more
office with rights defend- than 4 million people have
ers, victims, witnesses of left the country in recent
rights violations and other years, putting strains in par-
sources. She and her teams ticular on neighbors Brazil
held nearly 160 meetings and Colombia, as well as
with state and other stake- U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, left, chats with Venezuela’s President Peru.
holders. Bachelet, a former Nicolas Maduro, as they walk out of a meeting at Miraflores Presidential Palace, in Caracas, Many findings of the re-
Socialist president of Chile, Venezuela, Friday, June 21, 2019. port highlighted well-worn
herself met with Venezue- Associated Press themes during Venezuela’s
lan President Nicolás Mad- “The incidence of alleged dom and providing proper pean nations, have rec- continued economic and
uro last month. extrajudicial killings by se- health care, she called for ognized opposition leader political crisis: the impact
Authorities in Maduro’s curity forces, particularly disarming and disbanding Juan Guaidó as Venezue- of international sanctions
government tallied 5,287 the special forces (FAES), in pro-government armed la’s legitimate leader, even against Maduro’s govern-
killings during security op- the context of security op- groups known as “collecti- though Maduro remains in ment, a wobbly health
erations that were classi- erations has been shock- vos.” power. care system, rising disease,
fied as cases of “resistance ingly high,” Bachelet’s of- The report from an ostensi- Maduro’s government food shortages and the
to authority,” plus another fice said. bly impartial observer like blasted an “openly biased” strains caused by runaway
1,569 this year through May Interviewees consistent- the United Nations comes account that presented a inflation.
19, the report said. It also ly referred to FAES as a as Venezuela’s internal “distorted version” of ac- It cited repression of po-
cited separate figures by “death squad” or “exter- turmoil of recent years has tual conditions. litical opponents, arbitrary
the Venezuelan Violence mination group.” NGOs say divided the international “There are countless inac- detentions and cases of
Observatory of at least the FAES is responsible for community. curacies, errors, facts taken torture and cruel treatment
7,523 such killings of that hundreds of killings. Over 50 countries, includ- out of context and false as- including electric shocks,
type last year, plus at least Among more than 20 rec- ing the United States, many sertions,” it said. suffocation with plastic
2,124 from January to May ommendations on issues South American neighbors Venezuelan officials insist- bags, water boarding, and
this year. like ensuring media free- of Venezuela and Euro- ed the report overlooked sexual violence.q

Mexico’s federal police block highways on 2nd day of strike

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN it into the Guard, which has who have profited from
Associated Press now been deployed to seal million (peso) contracts for
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexi- the country’s porous south- the purchase of unused
can officials blamed the ern border and control im- gasoline and technology
political opposition, corrupt migration and crime. among many others.”
federal police and outside López Obrador previously Durazo accused some of
players on Thursday for insti- attributed the protests to those now defending the
gating a revolt by security “dark forces” and sug- police — like Calderón —
forces who are opposed gested there were ulterior as being the same officials
to being absorbed into the motives without explaining who did not develop it as
newly created National his accusation. But security an effective security force.
Guard. secretary Alfonso Durazo “If the federal police was
Federal police maintained offered further details Thurs- a sufficient and adequate
control of a command day, suggesting that former entity we wouldn’t have
center in the Mexico City President Felipe Calderón the levels of insecurity that
borough of Iztapalapa for Uniformed federal police block the highway between Mexico was among those respon- we have today,” he said.
a second day and snarled City and Pachuca in both directions, in Ecatepec, Mexico, sible. He also accepted some
traffic by blocking high- Wednesday, July 3, 2019. “Some of the visible leaders responsibility by saying that
ways outside the capital. Associated Press of the movement are not communication may have
Meanwhile, in the southern ing support for their col- lice are demonstrating members of the institution,” been insufficient as the
border state of Chiapas, leagues. against a plan that dissolves Durazo said. “They are peo- government rushed to do
they hung signs express- The protesting federal po- the force and incorporates ple tied to interest groups away with the agency. q