The Venezuelan NGO Human Rights Foundation of the Llanos (Fundehullan) said this Friday (27) that it registered 73 cases of intimidation related to the right to citizen participation of Venezuelan voters and restrictions on civic space during the primary elections of the opposition to the Nicolás regime Maduro occurred last Sunday (22).
The organization highlighted that these cases of intimidation were perpetrated by members of the Venezuelan regime’s security forces and by militants who support the Chavista regime and its stay in power.
According to the NGO’s report, released this Friday, patterns of intimidation and hostility against citizens, candidates from opposition political parties and journalists were identified.
Fundehullan categorized the incidents into 34 cases of intimidation and hostile actions, 13 involving the limitation of free journalistic exercise, 12 irregularities caused by Chavista militants during the primary electoral process, nine logistical problems – caused by limitations imposed by national authorities – and five cases involving false advertisements and false accusations.
The NGO denounced that employees of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), the State Police and the Military Counterintelligence were mainly responsible for the cases of intimidation.
Furthermore, Fundehullan highlighted the reduction in civic space due to the refusal of the Venezuelan National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to allow traditional media outlets to cover opposition elections. There was also the blocking of the website where citizens located their voting centers, in addition to actions involving false advertisements against the elections and the National Primary Commission (CNP).
The organization requested that the Maduro regime “respect the opposition’s right to participate in public affairs and the results of the primaries”, which won the candidate María Corina Machado, disqualified by the Chavista regime. He also requested an end to “intimidation by security bodies” and an end to “policies of judicialization of the electoral process”.