Venezuela 101

In this new episode of Venezuela 101, we talk with Mercedes de Freitas about the Corruption Perceptions Index, the patterns of corruption in Venezuela, possible national and international actions to denounce these cases, and more. Mercedes currently serves as the Executive Director of Transparencia Venezuela. Since 2002 she has dedicated herself to the study and implementation of transparency and anti-corruption programs and their impact on human rights.

Details about the situation of hospitals in Venezuela, the reemergence of eradicated diseases, the risk of contracting an illness, the balance after three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the long-term consequences of not modifying public policies are some of the topics we discussed in this new episode of #Venezuela101 with Dr. Julio Castro. Julio is an Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease specialist; a professor at the Institute of Tropical Medicine at the Central University of Venezuela, and a member of the NGO of Médicos por la Salud.

Beatriz Borges joins us in this new episode of Venezuela 101 to talk about the threats and risks of the new bill promoted by the regime, which introduces additional requirements for the operation and creation of non-governmental organizations and other non-profit entities. Beatriz is a lawyer, academic, human rights defender and, since 2014, is the Executive Director of the Center for Justice and Peace (CEPAZ). In addition, she litigates and actively participates in the international systems for the protection of human rights in the United Nations and the Inter-American System to denounce human rights violations and demand respect for international norms and standards.

The ICC has requested that victims provide their observations and opinions on the prosecutor's request to continue the investigation in Venezuela, focusing on crimes against humanity of deprivation of liberty, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence and political persecution against detainees committed by members of state security forces and pro-government groups since April 2017. In this episode, we explain key points that you need to know to fill out the form and submit your observations and opinions. For more information, visit https://www.icc-cpi.int.

In this episode, we talk with Genesis Davila, a lawyer and human rights defender, about the investigation of the situation in Venezuela at the International Criminal Court. We cover some fundamental points such as the internal functioning of the ICC, the stages of the preliminary examination, and the actual margins of action of the Court. We also discuss the similarities and differences between the Venezuela case and other similar cases, and finally, what victims can expect and what they can continue to do to help the investigation process.

The guest of this new episode of #Venezuela101 is Nelson Eduardo Bocaranda, also known as Nelson Bocaranda Jr., renowned journalist and editor-in-chief of the Runrunes web portal. In this new edition, we discuss with Nelson highly relevant issues such as the regime's censorship in both traditional and digital media, the impact of the Hate Law on the media, and the importance of putting pressure on nationally and internationally to avoid violating the right to freedom of expression in Venezuela.

In this new episode we talk about the current situation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Cristina Burelli, social entrepreneur, founder and executive director of V5Initiative and one of the founders of the advocacy group SOS Orinoco, joins us to delve into this issue. On this occasion, we asked Cristina about the repeated complaints of human rights violations in the South of the Orinoco River, the presence of illegal armed groups that exercise violence in the area, the reality of the indigenous peoples who live there, the havoc caused by illegal mining, among other relevant issues.

In our fourth episode we talk with Sara Fernández about the differential impact of the Complex Humanitarian Emergency on Venezuelan women and girls. Sara is a Venezuelan lawyer, consultant in International Law and Human Rights; Advocacy Coordinator of the NGO Center for Justice and Peace (CEPAZ) and a specialist in justice and gender issues. In this new edition of Venezuela 101, Sara Fernández explains some details about femicides in Venezuela, the impact of the refugee and migrant crisis on women, sexual and reproductive rights in the country, as well as the situation women and girls are experiencing in the South of the Orinoco, among other important topics.

En este episodio especial en español escucharemos a dos invitadas citar algunos puntos clave del informe de la Misión Independiente de Determinación de los Hechos para la República Bolivariana de Venezuela, publicado durante el mes de septiembre y que abarca en dos temas prioritarios: crímenes de lesa humanidad cometidos a través de estructuras e individuos pertenecientes a los servicios de inteligencia del Estado; y situación de los derechos humanos en la región del Arco Minero del Orinoco. Esta Misión fue establecida por el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de la ONU en septiembre de 2019, con el fin de evaluar presuntas violaciones de los derechos humanos cometidas en Venezuela desde el año 2014.

In this episode we will listen to two guests quote some relevant points from the report of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which focuses on two priority issues: crimes against humanity committed through structures and individuals belonging to the State intelligence services; and the human rights situation in the Arco Minero del Orinoco region. This Mission was established by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations in September 2019, in order to evaluate alleged human rights violations committed in Venezuela since 2014.

In this new episode, we talk with David Smolansky, Commissioner of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the Crisis of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees. With him, we review the differences between migrants and refugees, the causes of this crisis, the impact on the region, the policies implemented by the host countries and the work of NGOs and civil society, as well as the challenges for the future. This episode was recorded in September 2022. As of the date of its publication, the number of migrants was updated to 7.1 million Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the world.

Feliciano Reyna, president of Acción Solidaria and founder of the NGOs Civilis and Codevida, joins us in this episode. We talked with him about the Complex Humanitarian Emergency that Venezuela is going through and its fundamental aspects: triggers, medium and long-term consequences, the work of NGOs to alleviate it and more. Listen us and spread the word.

In our first episode, Tamara Taraciuk, Deputy Director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, joins us to talk about the Human Rights situation in Venezuela, as well as the importance of reporting, investigation and visibility mechanisms.

This is Venezuela 101. We are Miguel Pizarro and Melanio Escobar. Listen to our trailer and find out about our work, where this idea came from, what we'll be tackling in our next episodes, and more. Please share this podcast with your friends, colleagues, and family and listen to us again on the next episode of Venezuela 101!