July 25, 2024, Washington, DC. This Sunday, July 28, Venezuela faces a decisive moment with the holding of presidential elections that will determine its political, economic, and social future. RFK Human Rights joins the voices of local and international organizations to demand respect for human rights and the guarantee of civic space throughout the electoral process.

We demand that all State authorities guarantee an unimpeded electoral process that allows for the free exercise of the right to vote, as well as other related rights, including freedom of expression, association, and peaceful protest. In addition, we demand the disclosure of the results within a reasonable period of time and the transparent recognition of the will of the people.

Sunday’s elections are taking place in a restrictive environment, characterized by the arbitrary detention of political activists and human rights defenders; the promotion of laws that seek to criminalize the work of civil society, members of the political opposition and journalists; as well as the systematic repression of independent media, among others.

This restrictive environment goes beyond the closure of civic space, as it is framed in a context of serious human rights violations, for which there is an open formal investigation for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court. This investigation includes acts of systematic torture in the context of arbitrary detentions of critics of the current government, with a total of 304 political prisoners currently registered.

Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of a democratic society, and what allows citizens to participate, directly and indirectly, in the public affairs of their country, including through political associations. Freedom of expression, together with the right to form associations and participate in activities independently, as well as to demonstrate publicly, without undue interference, are part of the environment that must be guaranteed by the State in order for elections to be considered free and fair.

For this reason we demand respect for the right to peaceful assembly and protest, and demand that the State refrains from the use of excessive force under any circumstances. We also urgently call for the release of all persons deprived of their liberty for political reasons, including Rocío San Miguel and Javier Tarazona.  The will of the Venezuelan people must be heard in a genuine and peaceful manner and must be fully respected.