Earlier this week, the United Nations agency expressed “deep concern” over the detention of prominent human rights activist Rocio San Miguel.
Venezuela has ordered the field office of the United Nations human rights agency to cease operations and given its staff 72 hours to leave, accusing it of promoting opposition against the South American country.
Foreign Minister Ivan Gil announced the decision Thursday at a press conference in the capital, Caracas.
He said the office – the local technical advisory office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – was being used by the international community “to maintain the narrative” against Venezuela.
The move comes two days after the United Nations agency expressed “deep concern” over the detention of prominent human rights activist Rocio San Miguel and called for her “immediate release.”
Mr Gill said the UN rights office had assumed an “inappropriate role” and had become “the private law firm of coup masterminds and terrorists permanently conspiring against the country”.
He said the decision would remain in place until the UN body “publicly corrects before the international community its colonialist, abusive and violating attitudes in the United Nations Charter.”
The Venezuelan government said in a statement that it had decided to suspend the activities of the UN rights office and “undertake a complete revision of the terms of technical cooperation.” The review will take place over the next 30 days.
It was not immediately clear whether the Venezuelan government directly notified the United Nations of the office closure order. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a regular briefing on Thursday that he had just been informed of the decision and would contact reporters.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has been working in Venezuela since 2019.
human rights defender detained
San Miguel, 57, was arrested in the immigration area of Caracas' airport last Friday, sparking an international outcry.
Prosecutors have accused her of participating in a plot to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, which the government says was backed by the United States.
In January, authorities announced the discovery of five Maduro assassination plots involving human rights activists, journalists, and military personnel.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday expressed “deep concern” over San Miguel's detention.
In a post on social media platform X, the office called for “her immediate release” and respect for her right to legal defense.
Shortly before Gill's announcement on Thursday, the United Nations agency called for “due process guarantees, including the right to counsel” to be respected in her case.
The detention on Sao Miguel comes in an election year when President Maduro is already blocking his main opposition rivals and the United States is threatening to reimpose recently eased oil sanctions.
San Miguel is the founder of an NGO called Citizen Control, which investigates security and military issues, including the number of civilians killed and abused by security forces. She details the military's involvement in illegal mining activities and recent murders within the military.
International human rights groups view the arrests as a systematic plot to silence government critics and perceived opponents.