Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has highlighted the significant influence of Cuban interference in the country, particularly in the methods of repression, espionage, persecution, and torture carried out by Nicolás Maduro's regime against protesters, journalists, activists, and opposition members.
In an interview on Saturday with León Krauze for the magazine Letras Libres, Machado, who leads Vente Venezuela and is a key figure in the formation of the Plataforma Unitaria for the 2024 presidential elections, asserted that the Cuban regime's advisory role in repressive tactics has long been documented by international and non-governmental organizations.
"There are serious allegations from national and international human rights organizations on this matter. Several victims have reported abuses committed [by Cuban enforcers]. We have known for a long time that Cuba has had a terrible influence in multiple areas; in methods of repression, persecution, espionage, and torture. We have witnessed truly heartless actions in recent days," she stated.
Following the July 28 elections, the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Nicolás Maduro the winner, committing what the opposition describes as blatant fraud. The opposition managed to preserve and publish over 80% of the ballots, demonstrating the overwhelming victory of opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia.
In response to the massive electoral fraud orchestrated by the institutions of the Bolivarian regime, Venezuelan civil society took to the streets to protest, demanding respect for the people's will and sovereignty. However, clinging to power, as per the manual of the totalitarian Cuban regime, the Chavismo unleashed brutal repression against protesters and opponents.
According to the UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, established by the UN Human Rights Council, at least 23 deaths, most of them by gunfire, have been recorded in the context of the protests shaking the country. Additionally, the Mission documented the detention of at least 1,260 people, including 160 women. Meanwhile, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab raised the number to over 2,200 detainees, many labeled as "terrorists."
The Cuban regime's penetration into Venezuelan institutions, especially the armed forces and in advising on social control and repression, has been documented for years. In May, the OAS presented the seventh annual report of the Casla Institute, prepared by independent international experts. The study denounced Cuban advisory in Venezuela's repressive machinery and called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate its involvement in crimes against humanity in Venezuela.
Tamara Sujú, director of the Casla Institute, read the testimony of a Venezuelan torture victim during the report's presentation, describing how he was hung upside down and flogged on his feet, causing his nails to fall off after a few days. "There was a Cuban who, laughing, told the person flogging me, 'It seems you're not hitting him hard enough. I think I'll have to show you how it's done.' That Cuban brutally flogged my feet."
"After the 2014 protests, Maduro took charge of the persecution, supported by the Cuban regime's expertise in repression, surveillance, intimidation techniques, and torture to subdue opponents and dissidents, allowing their participation in planning and executing torture and sexual violence," Sujú added.
The Casla Institute identified a semi-secret unit of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) dedicated to training agents at what they call Base Cien. Sujú explained that senior Cuban officers are involved in training officials who infiltrate political parties.
"We ask the ICC investigation team handling the Venezuela case to investigate the Cuban regime for its direct involvement in training, planning repression, persecution, and inducing crimes identified in the Rome Statute," emphasized the Casla Institute director after denouncing the Cuban regime at the ICC for crimes against humanity committed in Venezuelan territory.
Understanding Cuban Involvement in Venezuela's Repression
Here are some key questions and answers to better grasp the extent of Cuban involvement in Venezuela's repressive practices, based on the statements and evidence provided by María Corina Machado and other sources.
How has Cuban interference influenced Venezuela's repression?
Cuban interference has significantly influenced Venezuela's repression methods, including tactics of espionage, persecution, and torture, as stated by Machado and documented by various human rights organizations.
What evidence exists of Cuban involvement in Venezuelan repression?
Evidence of Cuban involvement includes testimonies from torture victims, reports by international and non-governmental organizations, and findings from entities like the Casla Institute and the UN's Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela.
What actions have been taken to address Cuban involvement in Venezuela?
The Casla Institute and other organizations have called on the International Criminal Court to investigate Cuban involvement in crimes against humanity in Venezuela. Various reports and testimonies have been presented to international bodies to seek accountability.