Civil society organizations present recommendations to the United States Congress for a genuine democratic transition in Venezuela 

This article was originally posted by CEPAZ in Spanish. You can read it here.

In a public hearing before the U.S. Congress’s Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a panel of experts and representatives of civil society organizations analyzed Venezuela’s institutional, humanitarian, and political situation, which was worsened by the recent earthquakes of June 24. Beyond the natural disaster, the testimonies agreed that the country faces a crisis originating from years of democratic dismantlement, systemic corruption, and a deliberate state strategy of repression, documented by the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission. The session made clear that responding to this multidimensional emergency requires a comprehensive approach that includes the active participation of civil society. 

A Long-Standing Crisis 

During the interventions, speakers emphasized that Venezuela’s crisis is a long-standing phenomenon. Rep. James McGovern(D-MA), co-chair of the Commission, opened the session by recalling that after nine years of constant hardship, millions of Venezuelans have been forced into exile, while those who remain in the country face a difficult reality. Beatriz Borges, director of the Centro de Justicia y Paz (Cepaz) expanded on this perspective, warning that the June 24 earthquakes revealed only the scale of an accumulated institutional failure. Borges stated that “the earthquakes did not create Venezuela’s crisis, but instead they exposed it.” According to her testimony, the natural disaster revealed the human cost caused by a State that prioritizes political control over protecting its own people, leaving hospitals without equipment, public services inoperative, and rescue capacities decimated by decades of institutional dismantlement. 

Repressive Apparatus Still Intact 

One of the most forceful themes of the hearing was the nature of political repression, which the experts described as a state strategy rather than isolated events. Laura Dib, WOLA’s director for Venezuela, noted that although Nicolás Maduro’s capture in January 2026 broke part of the political deadlock, the repressive apparatus remains intact. Dib pointed out that key figures implicated in human rights violations have simply been rotated within the same structure, which does not represent a genuine transition toward democracy.  

Along these lines, Isabel Roby, of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights center, warned of the danger posed by the continuity of these command structures, which bear direct responsibility for crimes against humanity, including torture and enforced disappearances. The view that government changes have been merely cosmetic was shared by Martha Tineo, of Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, who further stressed that the Amnesty Law has functioned in practice as “a measure marked by revictimization and discretion, designed to ease international pressure without settling the debt of justice the State owes its victims.” 

Violations of Due Process 

The situation of political prisoners took up a large part of the deliberations. Tineo reported that although nearly 800 people have been released from detention centers, most remain under conditional freedoms subject to judicial processes that violate due process, and at least 518 people remain deprived of liberty for political reasons, facing alarming physical deterioration and, in many cases, critical health conditions. The advocate was especially emphatic in recalling the psychological impact of enforced disappearance. She cited the case of Carmen Teresa Navas, who searched for her son Víctor Quero Navas for 16 months, only to discover that authorities had concealed his death. Carmen died nine days after burying her son.  

Restrictions on Civic Space 

A recurring point was the crucial role of civil society and, in particular, of women in demanding justice and truth. Borges noted that Venezuelan women have been the ones primarily responsible for leading the search for missing relatives, documenting urgent needs, and managing scarce humanitarian assistance, taking on a disproportionate share of the crisis’s burden. She stated that “Venezuela’s civil society represents one of the country’s greatest democratic assets, a unique civic and social infrastructure built on trust, local knowledge, coordination, and community presence.” 

The panelists warned that this infrastructure is at serious risk due to repressive laws such as the so-called “Anti-NGO Law.” This legislation criminalizes the work of human rights defenders, journalists, media outlets, and civil society organizations, restricting access to international funding.  

Opacity in Accountability 

The lack of transparency in accountability was another topic addressed. Panelists argued that the absence of any accounting for how oil revenues and disbursements received by the Venezuelan State are used fuels systemic corruption. Roby stressed that “democracy is not a favor granted in exchange for oil or other benefits.” She further warned of the risk that aid intended for post-earthquake recovery could be captured to strengthen political control. 

Legal Protection 

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz stated that the situation on the ground in Venezuela “has not improved in the slightest, noting that she represents one of the largest Venezuelan communities in the United States, and that many of her constituents fled brutal repression.” On this point, Borges said that Venezuelans continue to face serious practical, political, and humanitarian obstacles to returning to the country. She said, “It is important for U.S. policy to take these conditions into account and ensure adequate legal protection for people who cannot safely return.” 

Elections and Transition 

Borges emphasized that elections must be the source of legitimacy for the transition but stressed that “legitimacy requires more than simply setting up a date. The transition also required both the political and technical components to be in place. All democratic actors must be able to organize, campaign freely, and participate without persecution.” She said there must also be an agreement to respect the results and resolve any disputes peacefully. Among the technical components, she highlighted the independence of the electoral authority, an audited voter registry, and guaranteed participation for Venezuelans abroad, as well as transparent vote counting, publication of polling-station results, and credible international observation. She added that the transition roadmap must be clear. 

Strategic Recommendations 

In closing, the participants presented several strategic recommendations, including supporting humanitarian assistance through credible local partners and ensuring that initiatives such as the PANA Act help rebuild not only infrastructure but also justice institutions and the rule of law. Borges insisted that any transition must be measured against verifiable technical indicators. 

The experts issued an urgent call to the U.S. Congress and the international community not to abandon global justice available to victims given the lack of independence in the domestic judicial system.  

In her closing remarks, Tineo insisted that international support must be strictly tied to the unrestricted protection of human rights and the structural dismantling of the apparatus of persecution. For her part, Cepaz’s director called to “promote a vision of recovery that goes beyond rebuilding physical infrastructure. She called for Venezuela to rebuild its justice institutions, strengthen the rule of law, restore public trust, and put victims at the center through truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition.”