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CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) \u2014 Venezuela\u2019s government on Thursday ordered the local U.N. office on human rights to suspend operations and gave its staff 72 hours to leave, accusing the office of promoting opposition to the South American country.<\/p>\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Yv\u00e1n Gil announced the decision at a news conference in Caracas, the capital. Gil\u2019s announcement came on the heels of the detention of human rights attorney Rocio San Miguel, which set off a wave of criticism inside and outside the South American country.<\/p>\n
Gil said the office, the local technical advisory office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, had been used by the international community \u201cto maintain a discourse\u201d against Venezuela.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear if the Venezuelan government had notified the United Nations directly of its order to close the office.<\/p>\n
San Miguel was taken into custody Friday at the airport near Caracas while she and her daughter awaited a flight to Miami. Authorities did not acknowledge her detention until Sunday, and as of Wednesday, her attorney had not been allowed to meet with her.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Tarek William Saab earlier in the week said she is being held at the Helicoide prison, an infamous institution for political prisoners.<\/p>\n
San Miguel\u2019s daughter, ex-husband, two brothers and former partner also were detained following her arrest. Of them, only her former partner remains in custody.<\/p>\n
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday had expressed \u201cdeep concern\u201d over San Miguel’s detention.<\/p>\n
In a tweet, the office urged \u201cher immediate release\u201d and respect for her right to legal defense. About an hour before Gil’s announcement, the U.N. agency called for the respect of \u201cdue process guarantees, including right to defense\u201d in her case.<\/p>\n
The U.N. office was established in Caracas in September 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n