Venezuela’s Human Rights Landscape

Washington, DC., 14 October 2025—

Under Nicolás Maduro’s leadership, Venezuela has witnessed widespread human rights violations that have drawn international condemnation. The government has been accused of suppressing political dissent, curbing freedom of expression, and using military and police forces to violently crack down on protesters. Arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings have become common, while opposition leaders and activists face imprisonment or exile. Additionally, the economic collapse under Maduro’s rule has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic services, exacerbating the suffering of millions and further eroding the country’s human rights landscape.

Thousands of political opponents, activists, and dissenting voices have been arbitrarily detained, often under fabricated charges. Some of the most well-known cases include opposition leaders Leopoldo López, Juan Guaidó, Maria Corina Machado, and their allies. Opposition politicians, including those in the National Assembly, have been subject to harassment, arrest, and threats of violence. Some have been forced into exile. Detainees, especially political opponents, have reported severe torture and ill-treatment during interrogations, with techniques such as beatings, electric shocks, and threats of sexual violence.

There have been numerous reports of extrajudicial killings carried out by state security forces. These murders often target opposition members, activists, and members of the political opposition, but also extend to ordinary civilians in the context of violent crackdowns. Security forces have reportedly executed entire groups of people under the pretext of combating criminality, often without judicial oversight or accountability for the perpetrators.

Human rights organizations, NGOs, and activists in Venezuela have been the target of persecution, harassment, and criminal charges, including physical threats, arbitrary detention, and smear campaigns. These tactics are often used to silence those who document and report human rights abuses. The military and police have used excessive force to crack down on peaceful protests and demonstrations, including the use of live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas, and beatings.

Operation Liberation and Protection of the People (OLP), launched in 2015, involved brutal raids in marginalized communities. OLP was associated with arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and widespread abuse of civilians. Security forces targeted neighborhoods, claiming they were fighting crime, but evidence suggested that many victims were civilians with no criminal ties.

The Maduro regime has systematically closed independent media outlets, restricted critical press, and harassed journalists. Many journalists have been subject to threats, intimidation, and even physical violence. Further, the government has imposed internet shutdowns, restricted access to social media platforms, and blocked websites that are critical of the government or report on issues like food scarcity or human rights abuses.

Indigenous communities in Venezuela have faced threats of displacement due to the government’s mining and oil extraction activities. The Maduro regime has failed to protect indigenous rights to their ancestral lands, which have been exploited by both state and private actors, leading to environmental destruction and violence against indigenous peoples.

The Venezuelan economy has been in severe crisis, with inflation rates reaching unprecedented levels, and basic goods becoming scarce. There are widespread shortages of food and medicine. The government’s failure to adequately address these issues has led to hunger and malnutrition, with reports of increased rates of infant mortality and stunted growth among children. The healthcare system in Venezuela has collapsed, with hospitals lacking essential medicine, equipment, and staff. Preventable diseases have seen a resurgence, and the country has faced severe outbreaks of diseases like malaria and diphtheria.

Extensive poverty and unemployment have exacerbated social inequality. Maduro has been accused of using state resources, including food aid and medical supplies, as tools for political control, distributing them selectively to supporters while denying them to opponents.

Due to the dire political, economic, and social conditions, millions of Venezuelans have been forced to flee the country. This mass migration has been described as one of the largest displacement crises in the Americas. Many face discrimination and violence in neighboring countries. Thousands of Venezuelans have also been displaced within their own country, with no access to basic necessities or protection.

The Maduro regime has used the judiciary as a tool to silence critics, with the courts often delivering politically motivated rulings. The independence of the judiciary has been severely compromised. Judges who oppose the regime are subject to persecution or forced to flee the country. The National Assembly, controlled by opposition parties, has been undermined by the Maduro government. Maduro has created parallel institutions, like the Constituent Assembly, to circumvent the opposition-controlled legislature.

Internationally, countries and organizations such as the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations have condemned the human rights violations in Venezuela and called for accountability. Sanctions have been imposed on high-ranking members of the Maduro regime. In 2018, the UN Human Rights Council set up a fact-finding mission to investigate these abuses. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has opened an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Venezuelan security forces.

While the Maduro government remains entrenched in power, the road to political change remains fraught with challenges. Despite the overwhelming repression, the opposition remains determined to continue advocating for human rights, free elections, and democracy in Venezuela. The international community must continue to hold the Venezuelan government accountable. While the battle is far from over, the ongoing resistance to Maduro’s authoritarianism is a testament to the resilience of the Venezuelan people and their unyielding desire for democracy, justice, and human dignity.

Photo Credit: “Banner at demonstrations and protests against Chavismo and Nicolás Maduro governments 13” by Wilfredoorh. Licensed under CC BY NC ND 2.0