L'Observatoire du Silence
an observatory of selective attention
Crisis · Venezuela

Venezuela — repression and humanitarian crisis

Venezuela — repression and humanitarian crisis
7.7M+
refugees and migrants (UNHCR/IOM 2024)
~700
political prisoners (UN 2024)
UN
documented crimes against humanity (2020 report)
2013
Maduro takes power; crisis begins

Venezuela's crisis deepened under President Nicolás Maduro following the death of Hugo Chávez in 2013. A UN Fact-Finding Mission found "reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in Venezuela since at least 2014." Over 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the country — one of the largest displacement crises in the world. Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president in 2019; the standoff was not resolved. María Corina Machado emerged as the main opposition leader. The 2024 elections were disputed internationally, with widespread fraud allegations.

Sources
This page contains only factual information from identified official or institutional sources. It does not express any editorial position. Figures are attributed to their source; disputed estimates are presented as such.