Venezuela lawmakers declare UN rights chief 'persona non grata'

Venezuela's National Assembly has declared UN rights chief Volker Turk "persona non grata".

Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, last week denounced what he claimed as "arbitrary detentions" by the Caracas government.

The Venezuelan administration has rejected Turk's comments as "aggression."

It has also previously said Turk failed to defend the rights of Venezuelans deported to an El Salvador prison by the United States and to call for the return of Venezuelan minors separated from migrant parents in the US.

National Assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez called for the government to end any involvement with Turk's office.

The High Commissioner's office has had a presence in Venezuela since 2019, with its critical reports a frequent point of contention with the government.

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Source: TRT