The following testimony was delivered by María Corina Machado, on behalf of UN Watch, before the 49th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in an interactive dialogue on the oral update of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Venezuela, 18 March 2022. A Spanish translation follows the English original.
SHARE: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
My greetings to all. Today, I am talking to you from another war zone: Venezuela.
During 23 years, we have been fighting for freedom and for our lives. This Council knows very well the reality. You have heard about the crimes against humanity from courageous victims and human rights defenders. You have read the reports of the U.N.’s own task forces and fact-finding mission, but you know as well the magnitude of the operation that has been deployed to block justice in my country.
Abroad, big financial and geopolitical interests want to whitewash the image of Maduro and the tyranny in order to remove international sanctions and bring stability to the system. Inside Venezuela, the operation seeks to launder the tyranny’s criminal nature and especially its judiciary system, which has been the main tool for fear and domination.
Today, I ask you not only not to be deceived by this operation, but to act firmly to stop this obscene strategy.
The truth is devastating and it will prevail.
____
Spanish translation
Saludos a todos. Hoy me dirijo a ustedes desde otra zona de guerra: Venezuela.
Durante 23 años hemos luchado por la libertad y por nuestras vidas. Este Consejo conoce muy bien la realidad. Ustedes han escuchado de corajudas víctimas y defensores de los derechos humanos, sobre los crímenes de lesa humanidad. Ustedes han leído los reportes de los propios grupos de trabajo y de la misión de determinación de hechos de la ONU, así como conocen la magnitud de la operación que se ha desplegado para bloquear la justicia en mi país.
Afuera, grandes intereses financieros y geopolíticos quieren blanquear la imagen de Maduro y de la tiranía en función de levantar las sanciones internacionales y dar estabilidad al sistema. Dentro de Venezuela, la operación busca blanquear la naturaleza criminal del régimen y, especialmente, su sistema judicial, que ha sido la principal herramienta para el miedo y la dominación.
Hoy, les pido no sólo no ser engañados por esta operación, sino actuar firmemente para detener esta estrategia obscena.
La verdad es devastadora y prevalecerá.
.@MariaCorinaYA @UN_HRC: “Financial and geopolitical interests want to whitewash Maduro's tyranny to end international sanctions. Today I ask you not to be deceived by this operation—and to act firmly to stop this obscene strategy. The truth will prevail.” https://t.co/Z9EqOKVvNC pic.twitter.com/lxwURKU9ep
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) March 18, 2022
