Venezuelan Workers Seek Ombudsman's Mediation for Labor Rights Restoration

A delegation representing the Force of Workers of Guayana has formally requested the Venezuelan Ombudsman's Office to mediate in the restoration of their contractual rights, the cessation of persecution, and the re-establishment of trade union freedom.

Daniel Romero, a spokesperson for the organization and a former political prisoner, highlighted the dire judicial situation faced by labor leaders in the Bolívar state. He reported that more than 530 workers in the Guayana region are currently facing judicial proceedings and various restrictive measures. The group submitted a formal document to the Ombudsman's Office in Caracas, seeking the institution's intervention.

During the document submission, labor representatives stressed that any political or social transition in Venezuela must actively include the working class. "We workers are organizing ourselves because, well, there is a transition in the country, and we workers are also part of that transition because we were also persecuted. Today we call on all workers in Venezuela... so that we too are taken into account once and for all," Romero stated.

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We workers are organizing ourselves because, well, there is a transition in the country, and we workers are also part of that transition because we were also persecuted. Today we call on all workers in Venezuela... so that we too are taken into account once and for all.

The delegation also criticized the exclusion of independent trade unions from public negotiation agendas, despite dialogues between opposition and government factions. They argued that democracy cannot be consolidated while the productive sector is excluded and those defending collective bargaining agreements are persecuted. Romero noted that the Ombudsman acknowledged the legitimacy of union institutions and their role in safeguarding democracy, a step the workers hope will lead to concrete institutional actions.

A central demand in the submitted document is for a general "Labor Amnesty." Romero explained that even recently released labor leaders are not fully free, remaining subject to strict precautionary measures and judicial reporting requirements that hinder their ability to work.

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We see that politicians, political parties, both opposition and ruling, like the government, many sectors are sitting down, but they are not talking about the opposition of the unions, which are also part of democracy.