"The State has systematically violated human rights, including freedom of expression, in order to facilitate the concentration of power in the hands of the executive branch, discourage political participation, and undermine the independence of institutions," explains the 2023 Annual Report of that organization.

The document, published on the website, explains that "the institutional deterioration and the lack of independence of the judiciary have allowed a climate of impunity to prevail in the country in the face of serious human rights violations, which may constitute crimes against humanity.

The IACHR says it is monitoring the human rights situation in the country with special attention and that since 2005 it has included a chapter on Venezuela "due to the complete erosion of the democratic system and the serious human rights situation", having documented "the progressive concentration of power in the hands of the executive branch and the absence of the rule of law".

On the other hand, it explains that despite the recommendations, Venezuela "has not adopted adequate and effective measures to restore democratic order and the separation and independence of public powers", which has allowed the Executive to "maintain control over the Judicial, Citizen, Electoral and Legislative powers" and "impose a systematic policy of repression and intimidation" against activists and opponents.

"Since 2015, the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) has functioned as an extension of the Executive, systematically adopting decisions that are harmful to the rule of law, the separation of powers and political participation", explains the report, specifying that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela, "the only country in the Western Hemisphere with an investigation open by the ICC".

In 2023, the IACHR registered campaigns of discrediting, harassment and criminalization of human rights activists in a country that does not have accessible public information on human development indexes, poverty, schooling, infant and maternal mortality, malnutrition, state contracting, civil service, impunity, crime reports and public finances, among others.

The IACHR urges the release of all those imprisoned for political reasons and explains that in Venezuela there is still a hostile environment for the exercise of journalism, with threats, intimidation and legal persecution of journalists, as well as cases of confiscation of work equipment and censorship of journalistic material.

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