Venezuela should protect dissidents and opposition politicians and clarify the shooting death of Luis Manuel Diaz, leader of Democratic Action (AD), said Friday the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein.
"I urge the authorities to ensure that the investigation into the murder of Luis Diaz is independent and impartial, and to bring to justice not only its perpetrators but also the instigators of this murder," Zeid said in a statement.
The High Commissioner urged the government of Rafael Maduro to "ensure adequate protection of political opponents, human rights defenders and others who face threats in relation to the work they do."
Diaz's death during a rally in Altagracia de Orituco in the Midwest, hit the final stretch of the Venezuelan campaign.
Maduro called the killing of "settling of scores between rival gangs."
"As I reminded the President Maduro during his recent visit to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a sovereign state must defend and protect people who criticize and challenge policies and practices of the State", he said in his statement the High Commissioner.
"Democracy suffers greatly when the environment is deteriorating pre-election violence, threats and intimidation," he added the text.
The head of the UN human rights and crossed accusations Chavez and Maduro during a visit to the headquarters of the Council in Geneva on November 12.
On that occasion Al Hussein took the presence of mature to ask for more "fairness" to the Venezuelan justice.
Maduro replied with a long speech, which provoked some applause in the Council, which disqualified the authority of Al Hussein and asked the Council members to head directly to its government.
Al Hussein also urged in its statement on Friday to "all parties" to refrain "of violence and violent rhetoric in the run-up to elections."
AFP