We were extremely fortunate to have a talk from Sutton Amnesty member James Baird, who is also the Amnesty UK Country Coordinator for Venezuela. 

James mentioned significant issues as being

• an economic crisis including phenomenal levels of inflation
• very large outward refugee flows (which creates knock-on problems in neighbouring countries)
• very poor public services (social, education, health)
• repression including limits on free speech, arbitrary arrests, use of torture

Amnesty operations centre around

• targeting of human rights defenders, political opponents and civil society organisations
• unreasonable powers and consequent long sentences from Courts led by a Govt. appointed judiciary
• mistreatment in prison (deprivation of food, water and medicine)
• proposed restrictions on NGOs (which would have to declare funding and personnel). Sutton Amnesty have written on this case
• protecting refugees from Venezuela in neighbouring countries https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/09/exodus-venezuelans-colom…
• lobbying the US on unlawful returns to Venezuela https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/usa-deportation-flights-…

There are forthcoming elections on 28 July but the main opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado has been prevented from standing as a result of unproven corruption charges and her nominated successor has also been blocked.     

Other problems include mistreatment of indigenous populations and environmental damage.   

Representatives of the UN and the International Criminal Court have concluded there is good reason to believe human rights abuses have occurred in Columbia and there is growing international pressure (US, EU and Columbia) to improve the position.

James also went through a number of individual cases of wrongful treatment  including Javier Tarazona (on whom we have written before), Dario Estrada, Roberto Franco, Emirlendris Benitez, Juan Carlos Marrufo and Maria Auxiliadora Delgado, and will update us on any opportunities for further action on our behalf.

Community Mapping

Anne led a very useful session on Community Mapping in which those present and online participated actively. The objective is to understand how we can promote awareness, and increase community participation in, the work of Sutton Amnesty, the wider Amnesty network and the individuals and groups we support.