Immigration
Guaidó to ask OAS to investigate the death of Venezuelan child migrating to Trinidad and Tobago
A Venezuelan child died after his boat was shot at by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard
February 20, 2022 8:11am
Updated: February 20, 2022 1:17pm
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó plans to ask the Organization of American States (OAS) for an impartial investigation of the death of a Venezuelan boy who migrated to Trinidad and Tobago with his mother on Saturday, February 5, and died after the Venezuelan Coast Guard shot at their boat
"Guaidó will go to the OAS Human Rights Commission to request an impartial investigation into the death of a Venezuelan child by a projectile from the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. This regrettable fact cannot go unpunished," wrote Orlando Viera-Blanco, Venezuela's ambassador to Canada.
Agregó que, se está considerando hacer una solicitud similar ante la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU).
A similar request to the United Nations (UN) is being considered.
Pdte.@jguaido acudirá a la Comisión de DDHH de la @OEA_oficial para solicitar una investigación imparcial sobre muerte de niño vzlano por proyectil de guardacostas de TyY. Este lamentable hecho no puede quedar impune. Otras peticiones como acudir al CDH de NNUU, son consideradas.
— Orlando Viera-Blanco (@ovierablanco) February 18, 2022
The UN and four of its leading agencies expressed their concern last week over the murder of the Venezuelan boy who died after the Venezuelan Coast Guard shot at his boat.
In a joint statement, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations Children's Fund regretted the incident.
Venezuelan opposition leader David Smolansky shared on Twitter the statement published by the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard a day after the death of the minor, where they explain that they shot at the boat's engine in an attempt to stop it and in "self-defense." The Coast Guard claimed the migrants tried to "ram" into them.
Officials from Trinidad and Tobago discovered that illegal migrants remained in hiding after inspecting the vessel.
Smolansky demanded an investigation in order to provide justice for the terrible event. "Enough of shootings, castaways, and deportations," he said.
