Venezuela

CONTENT WARNING: this article makes references to sexual violence, torture, and other details that some readers may find upsetting.
The Wagner Group is a Russian paramilitary organisation founded in 2014 by former GRU officer Dmitry Utkin and businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, and has been described as “one of Russia’s most influential foreign policy tools”. Since its founding, Wagner Group has become known for its readiness to use extreme levels of violence and brutality during its operations.

The latest development in Venezuela created additional tensions not only in the country itself but across the entire region. As part pacifists and antimilitarists, War Resisters’ International Executive Committee wants to repeat, once again, that war is not an answer to any situation, and call for resistance to all preparations for war.

Falken SA is a Spanish company specialising in "less lethal" weapons and other equipment used by the police and security forces in Spain, and countries in Latin America.

The Antimilitarist Network in Latin America and the Caribbean outline how militarisation impacts communities across the region

A number of peace and nonviolence organisations and activists from Venezuela have issued a statement about the situation in the country. The statement addressing the international community, peace and human rights activists, points out the need for free and credible elections for a peaceful solution to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. Explaining the background, the activists say the solution for the crisis will  “depend on every single one of us and our actions to place enough pressure so that the solution we face is non-violent, and inclusive, with the democracy and justice which the Venezuelan people and humanity itself deserves. We want it to be our voices and aspirations, not arms, which finally decide the future and destiny of our country. But for that, we need your help.”

A number of peace and nonviolence organisations and activists from Venezuela have issued a statement about the situation in the country. The statement addressing the international community, peace and human rights activists, points out the need for free and credible elections for a peaceful solution to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela. Explaining the background, the activists say the solution for the crisis will  “depend on every single one of us and our actions to place enough pressure so that the solution we face is non-violent, and inclusive, with the democracy and justice which the Venezuelan people and humanity itself deserves. We want it to be our voices and aspirations, not arms, which finally decide the future and destiny of our country. But for that, we need your help.”

Venezuela's Law on Registration and Enlistment for Comprehensive Defence of the Nation was introduced in 2014. Read our new report on it here.

08/01/1998 1 Conscription

conscription exists

Conscription is enshrined in art. 53 of the Constitution which states that military service is compulsory and is to be performed, regardless of an individual's social status, as and when the law requires. [2]

Compulsory military service is regulated by the 1978 Law on Conscription and Military Enlistment (Ley de Conscripcion y Alistamiento Militar).

On 25 June 2014 the National Assembly announced in official gazette No. 40.440 that the Law on Registration and Enlistment for Comprehensive Defence of the Nation (in Spanish, Ley de Registro y Alistamiento para la Defensa Integral de la Nación or LRADIN) came into effect on the same date. This law repealed the one that partially reformed the law of conscription and military enlistment, which was issued by the national executive and published in official gazette No. 39.553 dated 16 November 2010, and in which military registration was renormalized.

The head of the compulsory military record is the President of the Republic, who shall exercise this function through the Ministry of the People’s Power for Defence and other public administration bodies.

Recently RAMALC - the Latin American and Caribbean Antimilitarist Network (Red Antimilitarista de América Latina y el Caribe) - ran a webinar - ¿Son pacíficas las protestas que ocurren en Venezuela? (Are the protests that are taking place in Venezuela peaceful?). Since 1st April, a series of protests have occurred in Venezuela in which more than 50 people have lost their lives. What are the motivations and characteristics of the demonstrations? Are they peaceful or violent?

There are antimilitarists, conscientious objectors, nonviolent activists and pacifists in Venezuela. There are also member organizations of the Latin American and Caribbean Antimilitarist Network, Ramalc. We embrace all of them, and send our solidarity and accompaniment. We want them alive, healthy and free.

At present, the community of human rights defenders in Venezuela is being subjected to persecution and repression because of their activities. We extend to them our solidarity and support; we are and will continue to be vigilant in denouncing these persecutions.

The Antimilitarist Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (Red Antimilitarista de América Latina y el Caribe, RAMALC) have published a statement in solidarity with antimilitarists, conscientious objectors, nonviolent and pacifists in Venezuela (an English version is forthcoming). It extends support to the community of human rights defenders being persecuted for their work. The statement has been endorsed by the WRI Executive Committee.