Venezuela's National Guard committed crimes against humanity over decade — UN report

Venezuela's Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) has been implicated in serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity over the past decade, particularly targeting political opponents with little to no accountability, according to a U.N. Fact-Finding Mission report released on Thursday.

The independent mission’s most recent report details the GNB’s involvement in actions that could qualify as crimes against humanity, including arbitrary detentions, sexual violence, and torture during protests and targeted political repression since 2014, under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro.

Victims were often selected for their perceived opposition to the government, the report indicated.

“The evidence we have documented shows the role of the GNB in a pattern of systematic and coordinated repression against political opponents, or those seen as such, which has persisted for over a decade,” said Marta Valinas, head of the Fact-Finding Mission.

The report’s release comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas, with U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly suggesting the possibility of military intervention in Venezuela to combat drug smuggling, which the U.S. has labeled as "narco-terrorism."

In response, Maduro has accused Trump of attempting to overthrow him to seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.

The report states that there are reasonable grounds to believe the GNB played a central role in the crime against humanity of political persecution. One example highlighted was the 2024 post-election “knock-knock” operation—unannounced raids on the homes of critics, which also ensnared ordinary citizens living in impoverished neighborhoods.

Venezuelan officials, including members of Maduro’s administration, dismissed a previous U.N. report with similar accusations, calling it "plagued with falsehoods."

The report further noted that under Venezuela's "national security" doctrine, the GNB expanded its role to include social control and internal repression. This was implemented through a centralized chain of command directly overseen by the president, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces. The report documented instances of sexual violence within GNB detention facilities, beatings during arrests, and various forms of torture.

“The torture, ill-treatment, and acts of sexual violence we have confirmed—including assaults and rape—were not isolated incidents,” Valinas said. “They are part of a broader pattern of abuse used to punish and break the will of the victims.” -Olivia Le Poidevin/Reuters