Mr. President, 

The Kingdom of the Netherlands aligns itself with the EU statement. 

We appreciate the work that the Fact Finding Mission on Venezuela has done in the last year and during its entire tenure. We continue to call on the Venezuelan authorities to provide the Mission unhindered access, implement its recommendations and we reiterate our support for the renewal of its mandate. 

Ms. Valiñas, the findings in your report are extremely disconcerting. You describe severe violations carried out by both state mechanisms and non-state actors, to which there is no accountability or justice.  We are highly concerned about the continuing climate of impunity. Victims of human rights violations and their families deserve impartial investigation and due process. 

The current report on responsibilities within the chain of command and the abhorrent situation in the Arco Minero, as well as your previous reports on the inadequate response of the justice system to human rights violations are highly informative. They also provide guidance to the restoration of the rule of law, the democratic order and the independence of the judiciary.  

Ms. Valiñas, what is your assessment of Venezuela’s judicial reforms with regards to sexual- and gender based violence, especially in the context of your findings about the Arco Minero? 

Thank you.