MR BROWN: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for this on-the-record briefing with U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams, who will discuss recent developments in Venezuela and our policy related to it.
Special Representative Abrams will begin with short introductory remarks and then he'll have time for your questions. As a reminder, the content of this briefing is embargoed until the end of the call, and if you want to go ahead and get into the question queue, dial 1, then 0.
Sir, please, go ahead.
MR ABRAMS: Okay. Thank you. I am going to start with a few minutes of just comments about where we are now, particularly on the Bachelet report, then sanctions, then the fraudulent elections that are being planned.
First, many of you, I think, saw the recent reports from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. Taken together with previous reports from the same body, they document the continuing decline of the already - already miserable human rights situation in Venezuela.
I just want to read a few sentences: "Bachelet," quote, "remains concerned about the lack of independence of the justice system in Venezuela," quote, "is concerned about the continuing use of the military justice system to try civilians."
Quote, "Relatives of victims also reported various forms of intimidation, threats, and reprisals by members of the security forces to stop them from seeking justice. In the most serious cases, this led to forced and prolonged displacement of family members or even, in some cases, their killing."
Quote, "Documented cases included severe beatings with boards, suffocation with plastic bags and chemicals, submerging the head of a victim underwater, electric shocks to the eyelids, and sexual violence in the form of electric shocks to genitalia," closed quote.
She was particularly concerned about the Arco Minero, the area where the goldmining takes place. Quote, "The information available to OHCHR indicates that much of the mining activity within and beyond the Arco Minero is controlled by organized criminal groups or armed elements. They determine who enters and leaves the area, imposes rules, inflict - impose rules, inflict harsh physical punishment on those who break them, and gain economic benefit from all activity within the mining area, including through extortion in exchange for protection," closed quote from Bachelet.
Meanwhile, the killing continues; roughly 7,000 extrajudicial killings in 2019 and 2020. Repression by the Maduro regime is increasing. And in the years since Bachelet's first report, which included strong recommendations for improvement, the regime has failed to implement any of those recommendations.
