Venezuela: Human Rights Defenders Face 122 Attacks in Q1 2026, NGO Reports

The Center for Defenders and Justice (CDJ) has once again sounded the alarm regarding the persistent dangers faced by human rights defenders in Venezuela. Our latest report reveals a stark reality: 122 attacks and security incidents were recorded in the first quarter of 2026. While this figure represents a significant decrease from the 236 cases documented in the same period of 2025, it is crucial to understand that this reduction does not signify an improvement in the state's behavior.

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These events evidence the continuity of a systematic policy of criminalization, repression, and social control, aimed at restricting and sanctioning the right to defend, promote, and demand human rights.

Instead, the CDJ emphasizes that this decline is a direct consequence of increasingly stringent restrictions on civic space and the relentless stigmatization of those who dare to speak out. These are not isolated events but part of a sustained pattern of persecution designed to silence dissent and dismantle the foundations of our fragile democracy. The state, under the current leadership, continues to wield its repressive apparatus against those who champion fundamental rights.

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The decrease in the number of cases, compared to 2025, does not respond to the cessation of repressive practices, but is a direct consequence of the hardening of restrictions on civic space, the persistent stigmatization of defenders as "enemies of the State."

We must recognize that the perpetrators are not anonymous; they are identifiable. Public officials are responsible for 44% of these incidents, with "governmental" media outlets playing a significant role at 25%. Actors aligned with the government and public institutions also contribute to this climate of fear. This is a systematic policy, not a series of unfortunate accidents. The very act of defending, promoting, and demanding human rights in Venezuela today carries inherent risks.

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Defending, promoting, and demanding human rights implies risks because the State... maintains the "repressive apparatus and continues to commit aggressions against human rights people and organizations."

For Venezuela to truly transition to democracy, the opening of civic space and the unwavering respect for the rule of law are paramount. Fundamental freedoms must be exercised without the constant threat of reprisal. The international community often focuses on the political machinations at the highest levels, but here, on the ground, the daily struggle for basic human rights and the courage of those who fight for them is what truly defines our national narrative. The work of the CDJ, and the bravery of the defenders it supports, is a testament to the enduring spirit of our people.

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The transition to democracy necessarily involves the opening of civic space and respect for the rule of law, being essential that fundamental freedoms can be exercised without fear of reprisals.