Colombia/Venezuela: Border Area Abuses by Armed Groups
Killings, Disappearances, Child Recruitment, Forced Displacement

The Nicolás Maduro government has engaged in brutal repression, with security forces and armed pro-government groups committing egregious abuses, including extrajudicial killings, short-term enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and torture. The Venezuelan judiciary, complicit in the abuses, lacks independence and has contributed to impunity for these crimes. In 2021, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in the country. Venezuela is facing a severe humanitarian emergency, with millions unable to access basic health care and adequate nutrition. The authorities are harassing and prosecuting civil society organizations and independent journalists. More than 6 million Venezuelans have fled the country, generating the largest migration crisis in Latin America.
Killings, Disappearances, Child Recruitment, Forced Displacement
Extrajudicial Executions, Arbitrary Arrests, Torture in Anti-Guerrilla Operation
Venezuelans, Others Face Kidnapping, Extortion, Lack of Essential Services
Inquiry Found High-Level Responsibility in Systematic Abuses
Several States with Abysmal Records Seek Spots on UN’s Top Rights Body