Item 4: Interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Venezuela

Speaker: Claire Denman

Thank you, Mr President, 

CSW thanks the High Commissioner for his timely report on Venezuela. 

We are highly concerned by the erosion of the freedoms of religion or belief and expression in the country. 

Religious leaders from all groups are under constant surveillance, while those who are perceived as saying the ‘wrong’ thing are treated as traitors and sometimes attacked by illegal armed groups supported by the regime. 

In September 2024, for example, the regime’s second-in-command Diosdado Cabello branded the Roman Catholic Bishops’ Conference a ‘band of terrorists’ in a TV broadcast after the bishops criticised the government for politicising the celebration of Christmas by moving festivities to 1 October. 

Two months later, Bishop Mario del Valle Moron-ta Rodríguez was declared persona non grata at military facilities and was banned from celebrating Mass and confirmations in military barracks after he spoke in defence of unjustly imprisoned young people during a homily.  

CSW calls on Venezuela to ensure that religious leaders are free to carry out their work without harassment, threats or pressure targeting them or their families. 

We are also concerned by increased social hostility towards Venezuela’s Jewish community, which has been exacerbated by antisemitic statements by government officials. 

We call on the government of Venezuela to crack down on officials responsible for inflammatory statements, and to ensure that those responsible for violence towards religious groups are held to account. 

Thank you.