MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela political power, 'concentrated in a single party with an authoritarian executive'

The US State Department also reports severe human rights violations

An executive summary published on Thursday by the US State Department describes Venezuela’s political power as “concentrated in a single party with an authoritarian executive”, and reported human rights abuses, including corruption, freedom of speech restrictions, and political persecutions amid others.

 Citing information collected from Venezuelan NGOs, local media reports and the Bolivarian government itself, the entity led by Secretary of State John Kerry enlists severe human rights violations, revealing:

“Unlawful killings, including summary killings by police elements; torture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions and lack of due process rights that contributed to widespread violence, riots, injuries, and deaths in prisons,” the report revealed.

Despite the fact no official statistics have been published regarding allegations of tortures, Provea –a governmental educational program- reported at least “76 victims of torture and cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment”, a considerable increase comparing the figure of “42 victims in all of 2012.”

However the report ruled out cases of forced disappearance.

“...no substantiated reports of politically motivated disappearances,” have been reported.

The document titled “Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2013” was published as political unrest rocks the South American country led by President Nicolás Maduro, including street protests, riots, and violence which have caused the death of at least 15 people since February 12.