#humanrightsunderattack

_"Venezuela's Democracy Under Siege: New Law Sparks Human Rights Concerns"_

Caracas, December 11, 2024. On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, celebrated on December 10, the radio program "Termómetro Social" (Social Thermometer), broadcast on Radio Fe y Alegría 1390 AM, addressed the risks posed by the recently approved Simón Bolívar Law, which has been criticized for its implications for fundamental rights in Venezuela.

During the program, Juan Luis Sosa, constitutional lawyer and co-host of the show along with Víctor Fuenmayor, former mayor of Ciudad Bolívar, a city located 658.3 kilometers (408.3 miles) southeast of Caracas, and retired university professor, coincided in warning about the provisions of this law that could contravene basic principles of justice and democracy.

Sosa highlighted the historical importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948, as "the essence of peaceful coexistence in modern societies". However, he expressed concern about Article 23 of the Simón Bolívar Law, which creates a list of individuals suspected of acts contrary to the regime. "For such a list to exist, there must be a prior procedure, there must be a trial," he stated, while also describing the accessory penalties of political disqualification provided for in the law, which can reach up to 60 years, as excessive.

For his part, Fuenmayor emphasized that, although the 1999 Venezuelan Constitution gave constitutional rank to the defense of human rights through the creation of the Ombudsman's Office, the effective fulfillment of this mandate is questionable. "That those who manage or direct it are outside any radius of defense of human rights is a deep discussion that we must give," he pointed out. He also criticized the fact that laws in Venezuela, such as the Simón Bolívar Law, are approved without a broad public debate, describing this procedure as "extremely dangerous for democracy".

Both hosts underscored that these provisions evoke episodes such as the controversial Tascón List, which in the past stigmatized thousands of citizens. For Sosa, the creation of such lists represents a "red line" that threatens the principles of equality and dignity established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

"Termómetro Social" is a space for critical analysis of the country's main social and political issues. On this occasion, the program highlighted the need for a national debate to ensure that laws in Venezuela respect fundamental rights and promote democracy.