Briefing

“Maduro Could Become The First Head of State Investigated By The ICC for Crimes Against Humanity”

Provea’s Marino Alvarado said that Maduro could become the first head of state to be investigated by the ICC for crimes against humanity. Juan Guaidó spoke on Jesús Santrich’s death and denied that it had been a product of an operation carried out by the Colombian Army. None of the versions on Jesús Santrich’s death has been confirmed by Colombian or Venezuelan authorities.

Naky Soto
  • Provea’s Marino Alvarado said that Maduro could become the first head of state to be investigated by the ICC for crimes against humanity. 
  • Juan Guaidó spoke on Jesús Santrich’s death and denied that it had been a product of an operation carried out by the Colombian Army: “We have to condemn Maduro for protecting them, for promoting this conflict in Colombia, for financing, encouraging them and inviting them to Miraflores.” 
    • He said the caretaker government is in contact with Colombia and so far there isn’t a definitive version on his death, but warned it’s a serious case against the integrity and national sovereignty. “Santrich used FANB officers as his guard,” he said. 
  • Guaidó demanded the release of eight troops who are FARC’s war prisoners and exhorted Miraflores to provide an explanation about Iván Márquez. He said that, if nobody seeks a solution, the conflict could escalate, because the clashes for control of the territory for drug trafficking, mining, and kidnapping operations are getting worse. 
    • None of the versions on Jesús Santrich’s death has been confirmed by Colombian or Venezuelan authorities. 
  • About the negotiation to achieve the Agreement for National Salvation, Guaidó said that they’re in contact with European countries to find guarantors to legitimize the process. 
  • American diplomat Brian Nichols, Joe Biden’s nominee for Under Secretary of the U.S. State Department for the Western Hemisphere, said on Wednesday that the U.S. must keep pressuring Maduro’s regime: “I think we must keep the economic pressure to negotiate with a government that has proved it uses dilatory techniques to block progress towards free and fair elections, in addition to the release of political prisoners and freedom of the press. We must be extremely careful.” 
  • Médicos Unidos de Venezuela reported 17 new deaths of coronavirus in the sector, for a total of 566 deaths. 

  • PAHO’s Emergency department director Ciro Ugarte exhorted the regime to provide vaccination figures. Ugarte said that Venezuela has paid over 101 million dollars to COVAC and 18 million dollars remain to be paid. 
    • Juan Guaidó said that he’s negotiating a vaccine donation with the U.S. However, he asked for cautiousness, because the vaccines entering the country depend on Maduro. 
  • UCAB’s rector Francisco José Virtuoso asked citizens to organize and demand transparency, clarity and competitive conditions from the new CNE. 
    • The ICC prosecutor’s report with evidence as to Venezuela being under formal investigation or not is expected in the next couple of days. 

  • The UN exhorted Chile to “immediately stop collective migrant expulsions and said that each migrant has the right to have their case considered individually. 
  • José Daniel Pérez said that the Law of Communal Cities will strengthen “the organized people (…) and is here to strengthen the vision of an inclusive State.” 
  • Maduro’s prêt-à-porter opposition created a Democratic Alliance, a temporary alliance for their candidates to the next election. VTV, the state channel controlled by PSUV, made the most noise out of this news. 
  • Baruta mayor Darwin González confirmed he’s participating in the next election on November 21st. He said that success in this election depended on achieving consensus in unitary candidacies. 
  • The Venezuelan Central Bank said that the Consumer Price Index in April, which is an inflation indicator, had a 24.6% variation for a total of 183.8%.
  • In Vargas, doctors and nurses protest to demand the salary increase that’s been in place since May 1st. Dr. Geraldine Aular said that they’re making ten times less than other hospitals, and there are workers whose bi-weekly salaries don’t even reach one dollar. 
  • Maduro approved exonerating payments for fees corresponding to patents and registering brands and copyright to the Autonomous Service of Intellectual Property (SAPI) until December 31st. 
  • Colombia opened its borders with Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. The Foreign Ministry said that all maritime borders with other countries will also be opened soon, excluding Venezuela, but they hope to open the border by June 1st.

Naky Soto

Naky gets called Naibet at home and at the bank. She coordinates training programs for an NGO. She collects moments and turns them into words. She has more stories than freckles.

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