– National Assembly of Venezuela – Archive
Madrid, November 30 (European Press) –
The President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced on Sunday the launch of an official investigation into the “extrajudicial executions” committed by US forces in the Caribbean since September 2.
“What has been happening since September 2 in the Caribbean Sea is clearly illegal, clearly illegal and violates international humanitarian law, violates the Charter of the United Nations, violates the Charter of Human Rights and also violates the laws relating to navigation, the laws of the sea as well as the laws of war,” Rodriguez declared, as reported by the Golobivisión news portal.
The President of the National Assembly, who met with relatives of the victims of these attacks on Sunday, referred to Article 12 of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which stipulates that the wounded and sick “shall be respected and protected in all circumstances” and “shall be treated and assisted with humanity,” and prohibits any attempt on their lives.
It also cited Additional Protocol I of 1977, which in its Article 41 prohibits attacking persons outside the scope of combat, such as wounded, unarmed or shipwrecked, in reference to reports of second attacks by US forces to end the lives of alleged traffickers who were also injured in the US bombing.
Rodriguez explained that they will not reveal the identity of the relatives of the deceased who they met, “because they are receiving threats from sectors and people who have a paramount interest in not telling the truth and not clarifying the facts.”
The National Assembly is scheduled to meet on Monday to form a special committee to investigate these “extrajudicial executions” and assist the families of the victims. In addition, the Public Prosecution will be required to initiate an appropriate criminal investigation and protect the families of the victims.
Rodriguez pointed out that there are experts who believe that if what happened during wartime, “we would be talking about war crimes.”
At least 83 people have been killed in recent weeks in US military attacks against alleged drug smuggling ships in Caribbean and Pacific waters, actions condemned by the United Nations and human rights organizations as extrajudicial executions. Now Washington threatens to expand its attacks on Venezuelan territory.