Earlier this week, the UN agency expressed “deep concern” over the detention of prominent human rights activist Rocío San Miguel.
Venezuela ordered the local office of the United Nations human rights body to suspend operations and gave its staff 72 hours to leave, accusing it of promoting opposition to the South American country.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil announced the decision at a news conference in the capital Caracas on Thursday.
He said the office – the local technical advisory office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – had been used by the international community “to maintain a discourse” against Venezuela.
The move came two days after the UN agency expressed its “deep concern” over the detention of prominent human rights activist Rocío San Miguel and called for her “immediate release.”
Gil said the UN human rights office had assumed an “inappropriate role” and had become “the private law firm of coup plotters and terrorists who permanently conspire against the country.”
He said that the decision will remain until the agency “publicly rectifies, before the international community, its colonialist, abusive and violative attitude of the United Nations Charter.”
In a statement, the Venezuelan government said it decided to suspend the activities of the UN human rights office and “carry out a holistic review of the terms of technical cooperation.” He said the review would take place over the next 30 days.
It was not immediately clear whether the Venezuelan government had directly notified the UN of its order to close the office. UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said during his daily press briefing on Thursday that he had just learned of the decision and that he would communicate with members of the press.
The UN human rights office has operated in Venezuela since 2019.
Human rights activist detained
San Miguel, 57, was detained last Friday in the immigration area of a Caracas airport, sparking international outrage.
Prosecutors have accused her of participating in the latest alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro, which the government says was backed by the United States.
Authorities said in January they had uncovered five plots to assassinate Maduro, involving human rights activists, journalists and soldiers.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday expressed “deep concern” about San Miguel's detention.
In a post on social media platform X, the office urged “his immediate release” and respect for his right to legal defense.
Shortly before Gil's announcement on Thursday, the UN agency asked that “due process guarantees, including the right to defense” be respected in his case.
San Miguel's arrest comes in a critical election year in which Maduro has already blocked his main opposition rival, prompting the United States to threaten to reimpose recently eased oil sanctions.
San Miguel is the founder of an NGO called Citizen Control, which investigates military and security issues, such as the number of citizens killed or abused by security forces. He has detailed military involvement in illegal mining operations and a recent femicide in the military.
International rights groups see the arrests as a coordinated plan to silence government critics and perceived opponents.
