Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on anti-democratic violence in Venezuela.

Mr Hugo Swire

I am deeply concerned about the reports of violence associated with protests in various cities in Venezuela since early February and call on all sides to refrain from violence. I receive regular reports on the situation from our Embassy in Caracas.

The majority of the demonstrations, including large-scale gatherings organised by the government or by the opposition, have been peaceful, but some disturbances have been marred by violence. The number and frequency of the incidents have decreased over the last few weeks, but there are still violent incidents. To date, at least 41 people have died and more than 650 have been injured since the start of protests. About half the victims are anti-government protestors and the rest pro-government supporters, security forces or bystanders. Around 2,500 people have been detained and around 200 people remain in custody, including police officers and students. The authorities are investigating around 100 cases of reported human rights abuses.

It is important that the Venezuelan government respects the right to protest peacefully, ensures public security and due process is afforded in investigations. I welcome the meetings held between the government and opposition which are an important step towards genuine dialogue. We continue to monitor the situation closely and keep travel advice for British nationals under constant review.