The Daily Journal.- Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, met in Caracas with Human Rights Watch (HRW) Deputy Global Director Federico Morelo to discuss human rights, freedom of expression, and democratic coexistence, according to information the Venezuelan government shared on social media.
The meeting comes after authorities announced the unblocking of news media websites and as government and opposition representatives began a second round of negotiations on Thursday aimed at a political transition in the country, with support from the United States.
According to the official report, the meeting focused on an agenda to strengthen human rights, “with an emphasis on measures that promote a diversity of expression and an environment of greater democratic coexistence.”
The government said the meeting reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace, diplomacy and coordinated efforts with multilateral organizations.
Officials provided no details about any specific commitments reached during the meeting or whether HRW presented specific demands regarding the human rights situation in Venezuela.
18 years after HRW’s expulsion
Hugo Chávez’s government expelled Human Rights Watch representatives from Venezuela in September 2008. At the time, José Miguel Vivanco, then director of HRW’s Americas Division, and Daniel Wilkinson, deputy director of the division, had to leave the country.
The government took the measure hours after the two presented the report A Decade Under Chávez: Political Intolerance and Lost Opportunities for Advancing Human Rights in Venezuela in Caracas. The 267-page document examined the impact of Chávez’s administration on the courts, the media, labor unions and civil society.
Among other issues, the report questioned restrictions on freedom of expression and pressure against government critics.
In response to the expulsions, then-HRW Executive Director Kenneth Roth said: “Chávez may have kicked out the messenger, but he has only reinforced the message: civil liberties in Venezuela are under attack.”
Political dialogue and civil guarantees
The meeting between Rodríguez and Morelo coincides with the start of a new phase of talks between representatives of the Venezuelan government and a sector of the opposition, with the United States accompanying the process.
The delegations have not detailed the issues they plan to address during this second round of negotiations. However, opposition representatives had previously said that the agenda would include civil and political guarantees and freedom of expression.
