Human Rights Watch Responds to Criticism of Venezuela Report

Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of the Human Rights Watch has responded to a group of “experts” that had questioned some of the conclusions and statements made by Human Rights Watch regarding the situation of human rights in Venezuela. I found the report to be fair and accurate and was pleased to see HRW respond appropriately. Here is some context of the exchange from the HRW website:

• In December, over 100 Latin America experts called into question the HRW report, “A Decade Under Chávez: Political Intolerance and Lost Opportunities for Advancing Human Rights in Venezuela,” stating it “is politically motivated, as well as grossly exaggerated, based on unreliable sources, and advertises broad and sweeping allegations that are unsupported by the evidence.” To support their allegations of political bias, the critics quote the report’s lead author, Jose Miguel Vivanco, who said: “We did the report because we wanted to demonstrate to the world that Venezuela is not a model for anyone.”
• “A Decade Under Chávez,” published in September 2008, “examines the impact of the Chávez presidency on institutions that are essential for ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law: the courts, the media, organized labor, and civil society,” states HRW. Specifically, HRW charges Chávez’s regime with openly encouraging political discrimination and failing to live up to the standards of its own constitution, such as the separation of powers and judicial oversight. Moreover, adds the human rights monitor, “the Chávez government has engaged in often discriminatory policies that have undercut journalists’ freedom of expression, workers’ freedom of association, and civil society’s ability to promote human rights in Venezuela.”

And an interesting paragraph included in the conclusion of the letter published by the HRW.

“I would like to take at face value your own professed concern for promoting accurate reporting on human rights in Venezuela. But I do not see how disseminating a grossly inaccurate depiction of our report can possibly contribute to that goal. Given what’s at stake in Venezuela today, I think your letter is an unhelpful distraction. If anything, its unfounded allegations will only contribute to the climate of political intolerance that currently exists in the country, undercutting local efforts to promote democratic pluralism and greater respect for basic human rights.”

Full Letter Here.

Eye on Democracy: Chavez Expels Human Rights Watch

This occurred before the blog got started but is worthy of mention.

After the Human Rights Watch released a report which touches on the current political intolerance under Chavez and makes clear ties between a decade under Chavez and a resulting reduction of institutionalization of democracy, the Venezuelan government found it appropriate to kick HRW out of the country.

From the HRW website: “The Venezuelan government’s expulsion of two Human Rights Watch staff underscores the Chávez administration’s increasing intolerance of dissenting views, Human Rights Watch said today. The government expelled José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, and Americas deputy director Daniel Wilkinson on September 18, 2008, hours after they held a news conference in Caracas to present a report that describes how the government of President Hugo Chávez has weakened democratic institutions and human rights guarantees in Venezuela.”

By kicking out the messenger, Chavez has only brought more attention to the message. The report is a long 230 page testament to the concerning situation of human rights in that country… a must read for those with a few hours in their hands.

The international community has an obligation to, at the very least, investigate this further. The lack of action is concerning.