Official United Nations Volcartark angered the Venezuelan government after accusing what he was saying of abuse by the state army.
Venezuelan Parliament has voted to declare the United Nations High Commissioner for the UN Human Rights Tak Persona Non Grata after publicly criticizing the government’s human rights abuses.
The unanimous Tuesday declaration follows comments from Turks before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which accuses what he said of arbitrary detention and forced loss of death.
In remarks before the declaration, Congressional Speaker Jorge Rodriguez accused Turks of accusing Venezuelan immigrants of living in the United States of America of “closing their eyes” at other rights abuses, including the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants living in detention facilities in El Salvador.
However, Turks issued a statement in May expressing concern over these deportations, but his comments on alleged abuse in Venezuela come when many human rights groups condemned the crackdown on Venezuelan authorities’ political opposition after the election contested last July.
The Turkish Declaration has no effect as a Personanon Grata, but the government could move, as has happened in the past, to expel his office from the country.
Tensions have been rising in Venezuela since President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in the 2024 presidential election.
Human rights groups say the Maduro government oversaw crackdowns on post-election opposition, leaving dozens of deaths. Police also arrested opposition lawmakers who accused the government of cooperating with hostile foreign forces.
Recent legislative and local elections saw lower voter turnout amidst opposition calls for boycotts and government crackdown.
The Maduro government has criticised President Donald Trump’s administration over the massive deportation of immigrants living in the United States, raising concerns from human rights groups, but Venezuela is open to working with the Trump administration, agreeing to accept those deported from the United States in March.
