Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
December 11, 2025 International law
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela stated that members of the country's National Guard have committed serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity for over a decade, according to a report published Thursday.
The document, prepared during the mission's work by Marta Valiñas, Francisco Cox Vial, and Patricia Tappata Valdés, contains a detailed analysis of the internal structure and chain of command of the National Guard. The report notes that members of this unit are implicated in arbitrary killings, illegal detentions, sexual and gender-based violence, torture, and other cruel treatment. These practices have been committed both during protests and as part of targeted political persecution since 2014.
"The facts we have documented demonstrate the role of the National Guard in the systematic and coordinated suppression of opponents, or those perceived as such. This has been going on for over ten years," stated mission chair Marta Valiñas. She emphasized that this situation requires decisive action by national and international mechanisms to hold those responsible accountable.
Uncontrolled powers
The report states that Venezuela's national security doctrine effectively merged military and police functions, legitimizing the militarization of the public security sector and expanding the National Guard's authority to suppress dissent. The centralized command system, with the president as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, enabled illegal actions to be carried out without any oversight or accountability.
During protests in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2024, the National Guard used excessive force, including firearms and modified ammunition, to inflict maximum harm. The mission also documented mass detentions, physical violence during arrests, evidence fabrication, torture, and sexual violence in National Guard buildings used as temporary detention centers.
"Part of a systematic practice"
"Torture, cruel treatment, and acts of sexual violence, including rape, were not isolated incidents. They were part of a systematic pattern," Valiñas noted.
According to civil society, the National Guard was responsible for the largest number of politically motivated arrests in 2019–2020. In 2024, the Guard played a key role in Operation Tun Tun, which targeted government opponents with baseless charges of terrorism and incitement to hatred.
The mission uncovered a persistent pattern of impunity perpetuated by the Venezuelan judicial system: delays in investigations, manipulation of evidence, deliberate obstruction of justice by the National Guard, and the restriction of accountability to only the lowest ranks.
The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that National Guard members, as well as high-ranking military and political leaders, may be criminally liable under the Rome Statute.
“The Mission has reasonable grounds to believe that members of the National Guard have made a significant contribution to the commission of crimes [by the Venezuelan authorities], including arbitrary detention, torture, gender-based violence and persecution,” Valiñas concluded.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.