Twelve civilians killed in Venezuela protests, including two minors, new toll shows

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday he was “extremely concerned” by the deadly unrest.

Tensions continue to rise. According to a count carried out on Tuesday, July 30 by several human rights NGOs, twelve civilians, including two minors, were killed in Venezuela during the demonstrations against the re-election of Nicolas Maduro, proclaimed president by the National Electoral Council, “There are eleven dead and in these demonstrations five have been murdered in Caracas. We are concerned about the use of firearms in these demonstrations”said Alfredo Romero, director of the NGO Foro Penal.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported a 12th victim, a soldier shot dead. He stressed that “749 offenders” had been arrested in connection with the protests, some for “terrorism”. The Ministry of Defense reported 23 injured soldiers.

Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who claims victory over Nicolas Maduro, has called on the military not to “repress the people”Nicolas Maduro responded sharply a few hours later: “I hold you responsible (…) for everything that is happening in Venezuela, the criminal violence, the injuries, the deaths, the destruction”he said to the opposition candidate and the opposition leader.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said: “extremely worried” of these deadly troubles. “I urge the authorities to respect the right of all Venezuelans to assemble, protest peacefully and express their views freely and without fear,” he added, calling “those responsible for human rights violations” has “accountable”.

“The United States supports the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people and their right to express their views freely.”also declared Karine Jean-Pierre, the spokesperson for the American executive. “In these difficult times, it is important that demonstrations and protests are peaceful. Law enforcement must ensure full respect for human rights, in particular the right to demonstrate and freedom of assembly,” also asserted the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Joseph Borrell, in a press release.

The United Nations, the United States, the European Union and several Latin American countries have called for a process “transparent” after the vote, while allied states including China, Russia and Cuba congratulated Nicolas Maduro.