Human rights in Venezuela

The 2008 Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index rated Venezuela as a "Hybrid Regime", and as the least democratic state in South America. Some human rights organizations have expressed concern about attacks against journalists, harassment of human rights defenders and poor prison conditions.

Soon after President Chávez was first elected, a national referendum was called in April 1999 in which 92% of voters favored drafting a new constitution. The constitution was drafted by an elected assembly with the participation of diverse citizens' groups, and was voted on later that year in another national referendum and approved with 71.8% support among voters. The new constitution of Venezuela sought to secure a wider range of human rights, such as health care as a human right. It also created an Office of the Public Defender, which includes the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office. Of the 350 articles in the 1999 constitution, 116 are dedicated to duties, human rights, and guarantees, including a chapter on the rights of indigenous peoples.

The 1961 constitution of Venezuela was far weaker on the issue of human rights. Venezuela ratified the American Convention on Human Rights in 1977. This makes it part of the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Between 1977 and 1998, described as "a time period marked by many human rights crimes including the murder, disappearance, and torture of leftist political dissidents", the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) brought six cases against Venezuela. Between 1998 and 2009 the IACHR brought around 150 cases.

The Yumare Massacre was an incident in which the DISIP executed nine unarmed members of the subversive group Punto Cero. It occurred on 8 May 1986 in Yaracuy state.

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