UN Human Rights Mission In Venezuela Meets Government, Opposition Members - Spokesman

A UN human rights team is conducting a mission in Venezuela and had already met with representatives of President Nicolas Maduro's government and members of the country's opposition, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2019) A UN human rights team is conducting a mission in Venezuela and had already met with representatives of President Nicolas Maduro's government and members of the country's opposition, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday.

"The mission is ongoing, the team was scheduled and has already met with the government officials, representatives of the National Assembly, civil society organizations, victims of human rights violations," Dujarric said.

Dujarric explained the UN human rights team was supposed visit the capital Caracas and other Venezuelan cities.

"The mission will end, as far as I understand, around the 22nd of March, and I am sure, they visited the places they wanted to go to," Dujarric said.

However, Dujarric noted he is not aware whether the team would issue a report assessing its work in Venezuela.

Earlier in March, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announced that five UN staff would travel to Venezuela at the invitation of the government to assess the human rights situation in the country.

Venezuela has been in a state of political crisis since January 23, when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself to be the country's interim president.

The United States and 54 other countries recognized Guiado. In addition, Washington froze $7 billion of Venezxuela's oil assets and called on to Maduro to step down immediately.

Maduro called Guaidop a puppet of the United States and has accused Washington for attempting to conduct a coup d'etat in Venezuela to effect a change in government.

Russia, China, Turkey, Bolivia and numerous others have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president.