UN Secretary-General's Concern Over 'Rights Violations' of Protesters in Venezuela in Conversation with Maduro

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, expressed concern over 'human rights violations' during the protests against the presidential election results in Venezuela during a phone conversation with President Nicolas Maduro. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Mr. Guterres, announced that the Secretary-General, on Friday, September 30, referred to the tense political situation in Venezuela and expressed worry regarding reports of 'post-election violence' in the country. Antonio Guterres also emphasized the need for peaceful resolution of any political disputes through genuine and inclusive dialogue. In response, the Venezuelan president stated in a statement that he explained his country's fight against 'fascism' and 'the devil' during the 15-minute conversation. Venezuela has arrested six foreign citizens on charges of attempting to overthrow Maduro's government. Nicolas Maduro uses terms like 'fascism' and 'the devil' to describe the Venezuelan opposition and protesters. In the controversial election a month and a half ago, the National Electoral Council of Venezuela, which is close to the government, declared Nicolas Maduro the winner without releasing details of the votes, unlike in the past. However, leaked statistics from nearly 80 percent of the electronic voting machines indicate a significant victory for Edmundo Gonzalez. In this context, countries including Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Uruguay called on the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, September 30, to investigate the 'gross violations' of human rights in Venezuela. The crackdown on protests in Venezuela following the announcement of the presidential election results has left at least 27 dead and 192 injured, with official sources stating that 2,400 protesters have been arrested.