Venezuela's president rejects damning UN report

By James Blears

The UN report makes specific accusations about widespread human rights abuses.  Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet who`s now the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Venezuela on June 21st and 22nd.  Veneuela`s President Nicolas Maduro is demanding the retractions of what he insists are serous errors, omissions and false accusations.  He also says that the United States has stripped Venezuela of 30 billion dollars of oil assets abroad. 

The death of Navy Captain Rafael Acosta in custody has since occurred.  But Attorney General Tarek William Saab says that two members of military intelligence have been arrested.

Venezuela`s Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez says that peace negotiations between the Government and the Opposition this past week in Barbados have proved a successful exchange.  And President Maduro says he`s confident a solution can be found. Yet the demands by Opposition Leader Juan Guaido, for an interim Government plus free elections monitored by International Observers are yet to be agreed.

Whatever happens, it`ll take years for Venezuela`s shattered economy, crumbling oil industry and severely strained political system to recover from this massive and worsening crisis.