Enforced disappearances in Venezuela
A 2019 report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that enforced disappearances had been used In Venezuela as a method by the government to censor opponents and instill fear.[1] Article 45 of the Venezuelan Constitution prohibits "the public authority, whether civil or military, even in a state of emergency, exception or restriction of guarantees, from practicing, permitting or tolerating the enforced disappearance of persons".[2] The Inter-American Court of Human Rights asked the Venezuelan State to conduct an investigation to locate Abelardo Antonio Pérez, Andrés Eloy Suárez Sánchez, José Miguel Liscano Betancourt, Juan Acasio Mena Bello, and Jesús Rafael Villalobos, considered to be disappeared persons during the Caracazo.[4] Social leader Alcedo Mora disappeared on 27 February 2015 after denouncing fuel smuggling to Colombia by members of the Mérida state government and Petróleos de Venezuela officials.[22][23] Acosta Arevalo died three days later, on 29 June, after appearing at his arraignment in a wheelchair and with severe signs of torture, including many bruises on his arms, poor hand sensitivity, extreme swelling in his feet, traces of blood under his fingernails, and injuries to his torso.[1][30] Venezuela's National Assembly reported on 21 January 2020 that family, friends and colleagues of deputy Ismael León lost contact with him shortly after he left the headquarters of the Democratic Action party on his way to the legislative session.Different human rights organizations qualified his detention as an enforced disappearance, including Foro Penal, and the Juan Guaidó's administration held Nicolás Maduro responsible for any aggression against Carreño and his companions.[34] On 7 December 2023, the non-governmental organization Súmate denounced that the place of detention of its president, Roberto Abdul, was unknown after he was arrested the day before, in violation of the Venezuelan Constitutio.