IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of Arnaldo Méndez Silva in Venezuela

December 24, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 96/2025 on December 21, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Arnaldo Méndez Silva in Venezuela, in the belief that he faces a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to his rights to life and personal integrity.

According to the request for these precautionary measures, Méndez Silva—a trade-union labor-rights advisor and a human rights activist—was arrested by officers of the State on November 26, 2025, and his whereabouts have since remained unknown. This situation has allegedly persisted despite the search and other actions undertaken by his family and other loved ones, including inquiries submitted to national authorities. The State failed to provide information to the IACHR on this issue.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations in this case, the IACHR found that the fact that Méndez Silva’s whereabouts are unknown and the mere passage of time increase the probability that he will suffer harm to his rights. Further, the IACHR found that, despite the searches and legal remedies undertaken by his family and other loved ones, Venezuelan authorities have failed to provide information concerning his whereabouts and condition ever since he was arrested. Besides, no information has been provided that might prove that the risks have been mitigated.

Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Venezuela to take the following action:

1. Adopt any measures necessary to protect Méndez Silva’s rights to life and personal integrity; in particular, the State should take the following action:
   1. Report on whether the beneficiary is in State custody (and, if so, provide the reasons for and other details of his arrest) and on any measures taken to establish his fate or whereabouts
   2. Should the beneficiary be in State custody, say whether he has been charged with any crimes and whether he has been taken before a court of competent jurisdiction so his arrest might be reviewed, and immediately specify the court in charge of this criminal case (or state why he has not been taken before court)
   3. Enable contact between the beneficiary and his family, trusted legal counsel, and any other representatives, and grant his legal counsel full access to the relevant criminal case file, should such a file exist
2. Implement any measures necessary to enable the beneficiary to do his work as a trade-union leader without being subjected to threats, harassment, intimidation, or any other acts of violence
3. Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State of Venezuela do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the applicable instruments.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 281/25

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