Victimization Report: old age at risk January- June 2020

January - June VICTIMIZATION REPORT: OLD AGE AT RISK.

Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

«© Convite, A.C. [2020]. Reservados todos los derechos».

Este trabajo es parte del proyecto «Monitor de Salud», desarrollado por

Convite, A.C., y sus organizaciones aliadas con el apoyo financiero de la

Unión Europea. Su contenido es responsabilidad exclusiva de Convite, A.C., y no necesariamente refleja los puntos de vista de la Unión Europea.

Credits To quote this report: Thais Maingon.

Report on Violent Deaths of Elderly People in Venezuela (2020).

Convite, A.C. Caracas, Venezuela.

This report was prepared by the Research Coordination Unit of Convite, A.C.: Thais Maingon, in her capacity as senior researcher, under the supervision of Project Manager Francelia Ruiz, and in coordination with Luis Francisco Cabezas, Executive Director of Convite, A.C.

Graphic design: Mayrim Porras

VICTIMIZATION REPORT: OLD AGE AT RISK. VIOLENT DEATHS OF ELDERLY PERSONS IN VENEZUELA. JANUARY-JUNE, 2020 Executive Summary Violence, and the various forms in which it is inflicted, is a public health issue of primary

importance in Venezuela, given the economic, social, cultural, personal, and family impact it has, and, most importantly, because it is a violation of human rights, particularly of the right to life.

The continued assault on the rule of law in Venezuela for more than a decade now has

converged, at least since 2015, with a complex humanitarian emergency of a political origin.

Multiple factors are at the root of the latter, with broad consequences in terms of the

disintegration of the State and of the economy, and in the sustained erosion of the

well-being of the society. Because of the crisis, humanitarian needs multiply and new arise; human insecurity problems worsen; public services further deteriorate; and the system for the protection of human rights is undermined. It all has an effect on the entire population, but its impact is much greater on the most vulnerable sectors, such as the elderly.

This report summarizes violations of the right to life and of the right to integrity of elderly people during the first semester of the year 2020. The data used in the report were collected

and systematized from the News section of 50 national, regional, and local news web portals.

As many as one hundred and eighty-five (185) violent deaths of older persons were

#OldAgeAtRisk recorded between the months of January and June of 2020. Eighty-one (81) or

forty-four percent (44%) of said deaths were classified as violent deaths from

specific causes (including deaths from mechanical asphyxiation, stabbing, gunshots, beatings, and others whose cause was unknown), with robbery as the main motive. Most of these deaths occurred in the victim's own home.

Additionally, thirty-one (31) violent deaths were the result of carelessness, negligence, or poor judgment, which is seventeen percent (17%) of the total

violent deaths of older people registered over the period in question, and they mostly were caused by run-overs (14%). The State has a direct responsibility in

eighteen percent (18%) of all violent deaths recorded during the first semester of 2020, be it because of something it did, because of something it failed to do, or because something it permitted to be done –expressly or through others—, which resulted in the death of 33 elderly people, including 29 from COVID-19.

This is an important distinction to make because it is a bounden duty of the

State to protect the life of all citizens, particularly that of the most vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, under numerous international conventions,

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treaties, and agreements. These deaths are the manifestation of various types

of violations of the right to life. They also underscore the State’s failure to

provide the necessary means to prevent unnatural or premature deaths, and its inaction and the absence of public policies aimed at protecting the elderly from the threat of a premature death, for they are denied the possibility to receive timely medical or social assistance.

Other violent deaths, including suicides and different types of accidents, accounted for 21% of the violent deaths of senior citizens.

On March 13, Nicolas Maduro's regime announced that there were two

confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Simultaneously, the World Health

Organization reported that, based on the results of their analysis, it is the people aged 60 and older who most need preventive care and attention. In Venezuela,

this age group —which, according to official figures, has reached 4 million

people—is the most neglected and potentially more vulnerable to the

economic, social, and health crisis that has been affecting the country for over a decade now, and the situation is compounded by the high risk inherent in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Human Rights; Complex Humanitarian Emergency; Violent Deaths; the Elderly; Impunity; Homicides; Robbery; Negligence; Crisis; Public Policies.

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

METHODOLOGY The press is a useful and reliable source when no official figures on violent deaths of older people are published. This report, which covers the first semester of the year 2020, includes

information from the News section of 50 national, regional, and local news web portals,

which was thoroughly examined. A database was then built that provides for the analysis

and systematic presentation of the data so collected. It is important to note that the violent deaths of elderly persons tend to be presented in the news in such a biased way that the human rights violation aspect thereof is usually overlooked.

The news on the violent death of elderly people used in this report included all the neces-

sary information: age, name, and gender, cause of death, motive, federal entity where the

death occurred, and identity and nationality of the perpetrators. There were a few instances where the complete information was not available but where the details were sufficient to ascertain that an elderly person had had a violent death.

For the purposes of this report, the criterion set forth in the Compulsory Social Security Act

of 1967 was adopted to characterize the elderly population, which is defined as that segment of the population of men aged 60 and older, and of women aged 55 and older.

By violent death of an older person we mean the death of a woman aged 55 and older, and of a man aged 60 and older, when his/her passing is the consequence of the overt violation

of his/her right to live and enjoy other human rights. A violent death may or may not be the

result of a criminal act or the consequence of intentional acts or otherwise. Most violent deaths occur because the State does not guarantee the right to life, the right to property, or the right to a decent quality of life with access to food, medicine, services, and medical

care, which are indispensable for survival, especially for vulnerable populations such as the

elderly. Those violent deaths could have been prevented. They expose the State’s negligen-

January-June, 2020

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#OldAgeAtRisk ce and its failure to meet its obligation to protect senior citizens from threats coming from individuals and/or public or private entities.

This is the same methodological and conceptual approach used to classify violent deaths

of older persons in the previous report (2019). This classification allows differentiating and analyzing violent deaths and identifying the victims, the motives, the causes of death, and the perpetrators.

CLASSIFICATION OF VIOLENT DEATHS OF OLDER PERSONS There is a connection between the violent death of older persons and the performance of the State, for it is the duty and obligation of the State, as established in numerous interna-

tional agreements and conventions, to protect them, care for them, and provide them with material life conditions to avoid their premature exposure to the risk of death. The responsi-

bilities of the State in this area include guaranteeing older people their right to life and inte-

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grity, and their exercise of all other human rights. With the exception of some accidental

deaths and other deaths from external causes, the violent death of older persons is directly

or indirectly associated with actions or omissions by the State. The fact that violence is

inflicted against older people with the consent or acquiescence of regional and local governments and official authorities — directly or by inciting others, on a regular basis or occasionally—, the immediate or eventual consequence of which is the unnatural or

premature death of senior citizens, reflects the State’s breach of its obligation to prevent

violent deaths and evidences the lack of protection and guarantees of the elderly when it comes to their exercise of human rights, especially the right to life.

For the purposes of this report, we shall set out certain criteria to differentiate the deaths of older people from various violent causes from those of which 1. Violent Death from Specific Causes It is an act by one or more persons expressly intended to take the life of another, commonly referred to as murder. A number of murders occur as the indirect consequence of the failure of the State to comply with its duties and obligations. For the purposes of this report, the following are listed as causes of violent death from external causes:

1.1 Mechanical Asphyxiation: It is the interference with the uptake and/or delivery of oxygen, which generally leads to death. This category includes deaths caused by:

1.1.1. Strangulation: Oxygen is prevented from entering the airways through

compression of the neck by an external force, whether manually or by use of a ligature. It includes deaths that occur due to a broken neck.

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

1.1.2. Suffocation: Air passage to the airways is impeded by the blockage thereof.

1.1.3. Submersion: Air passage to the airways is impeded by a liquid or a semi-liquid substance.

1.2. Wounds by Bladed Weapons: Murder is committed by use of sharp objects such

as a knife, a machete, an axe, etc. It includes deaths by throat-cutting, stabbing, etc.

1.3. Wounds by a Firearm: Death occurs by gunshots.

1.4. Beaten: The person is beaten to death.

1.5. Unknown: There is no known cause for the death of the victim.

2. Violent Deaths Due to Carelessness, Negligence, or Poor Judgment It is any violent act against people whose purpose is not to take an individual’s life, but one which results in the death of said individual. Carelessness, negligence, or poor judgment do not entail a desire to kill, but do not prevent death as an outcome. These include: 2.1. Death by Aggravated Violence: An individual dies from natural causes that

have been made worse by a criminal act; death occurs upon the commission of the criminal act or some time thereafter, but it is always attributable thereto.

2.2. Death by Unintentional Run-over with a Motor Vehicle: An individual dies from

injuries sustained during an accident involving a motor vehicle; the driver did not

intend to cause the death of the victim. As a rule, it is the result of recklessness, negence, or carelessness of those involved.

2.3. Death by Provoked Accidents: An individual dies because of an incident that

occurs because of the action of another person or persons who did not intend to cause the death of the victim.

3. 3. Violent Deaths of which the State is Direct Responsible These are deaths whose cause clearly involves the clear action of state agents, as well as the failure by the State to act appropriately to protect human rights, especially the right to

life. The State is potentially responsible because it fails to protect lives in a timely and due manner.

3.1. Death from Starvation: These deaths occur when people cannot take in

sufficient food and nutrients or when people do not take in food and nutrients at all, due to shortages or for reasons of physical or financial inaccessibility.

3.2. Torture and Ill Treatment: These deaths are the direct or indirect consequence of physical and psychological violence inflicted by agents specially trained to do so in their official capacity.

3.3. Deaths Due to Lack of Assistance: These deaths that are caused by the lack of medical or paramedical care, or of the lack of access to healthcare services or medical supplies or medical technology, or of the lack of access to any of the

January-June, 2020

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#OldAgeAtRisk services designed to ensure well-being, safeguard human life, and guarantee

citizen safety. It includes all deaths caused by the lack of timely and quality

assistance, particularly to the homeless or to the dispossessed, and all deaths that are the result of self-aggression (smoking, alcoholism, suicide) in a clear attempt by the deceased to avoiding social, economic, political, or other situations that make life intolerable.

4.4 Other Types of Violent Deaths 4.1. Suicide: It is a deliberate and voluntary act of self-aggression that results in the

death of the person who commits it, with no evidence of influence by external agents or by the person’s close family.

4.2. Accident: The elder dies due to external factors alone; he or she does not want to die, and there is no involvement of a third person or group of persons; the death is not the result of deficiencies in or lack of access to public services.

4.3. Other: The death does not enter in any of the above categories.

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Informe de victimizaciĂłn: vejez en riesgo. Muertes violentas de Personas Mayores en Venezuela

1. The Venezuelan State, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Human Rights of the Elderly Increased life expectancy and an aging population are two converging processes. The former springs from the control of infectious diseases and of technological advances in medicine, while the latter derives from the global increase of the population over 60

years of age and of a shrinking younger age group (Oliveri 2020-IDB). However, we are in the midst of a global pandemic since the beginning of this year, and, as the evidence

shows, the elderly is the most vulnerable age group because of their weakened

immune system and because they are most likely to suffer a chronic disease. As such, senior citizens are potentially most prone to having severe complications that could lead to death should they become infected with COVID-19.

According to the Global Health Security Index, in 2019, Venezuela ranked 176th among the 195 countries included in the global assessment of the health system capacity. The

Venezuelan health system was awarded a score of 23 out of 100 in an assessment that considers a county’s health system capacity to prevent, detect, and report diseases. It

also assesses the country’s readiness for rapid response, its capacity in terms of access to and condition of hospitals, its compliance with international health standards, and the environmental risks that affect the health system, such as the

economic and political situation of the country. In this specific indicator, Venezuela scored 12.9 points out of 100.

As noted by the executive director of the civil association Convite, A.C., Luis Francisco Cabezas, the elderly in Venezuela have been experiencing an emergency for a long time now: "The situation was already quite precarious before the arrival of the coronavirus. We live in a country where the monthly pension is USD 3.00, where a pack

January-June, 2020

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#OldAgeAtRisk of hypertensive pills such as losartan potassium costs more than the pension itself…"

"The elderly are the most vulnerable to the lethal effects of the coronavirus and they

are twice as exposed in Venezuela, for they had seen their living conditions deteriorate

well before the pandemic arrived (weight loss, poor diet, weakened immune systems).

To make matters worse, there is no alternative for them to get medical care at home so that they could receive food and medicine and psychological assistance."

(Yeannaly Fermín, Runrunes.es, April 5, 2020)

2. Violence and Old Age: How are the Violent Deaths of the Elderly in Venezuela As many as one hundred and eighty-five (185) violent deaths of older persons were recor-

ded during the first semester of 2020. Forty-four percent (44%) thereof were classified as

violent deaths from specific causes, particularly from criminal acts, with robbery as the main motive (28%).

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VIOLENT DEATHS OF OLDER PEOPLE, JANUARY-JUNE, 2020 Specific Causes Carelessness, Negligence, Poor Judgment Direct Responsibility of the State Other Types of Violent Deaths TOTAL

81 31

33

40

185

Thirty-one (31) violent deaths, or seventeen percent (17%) thereof, were due to

carelessness, negligence, or poor judgment, with run-overs as the leading cause (14%).

Eighteen percent (18%) of all violent deaths were the direct responsibility of the State, whereas twenty-one percent (21%) were associated with other types of violence. (See Chart 1).

In addition, 40 deaths were caused by other types of violence, including 26 involving various types of accidents (at work, motor vehicle, other), followed by suicide (14); the

latter accounts for thirty-five percent (35%) of the total violent deaths of older people

recorded over the period. According to the information collected, 11 men and three (3) women decided to take their own lives through violent means. (See Chart 2).

Informe de victimización: vejez en riesgo. Muertes violentas de Personas Mayores en Venezuela

CHART 1

Violent Deaths of Older People,

by Death Cause.

January-June, 2020

Specific causes

21%

Other

40 81

18% 33

Direct Responsability of the state

44% 31

Carelessness, Negligence, Poor Judgment

17%

CHART 2

Other Types of Violent Deaths of Older People.

35%

January-June, 202

Accidents Suicide

65%

January-June, 2020

#OldAgeAtRisk Women are less exposed to violent death than men are. As per the information collected for

the first semester of 2020, 144 violent deaths (78%) were of older men, while 41 (22%) of the victims were older women. (See Chart 3)

CHART 3

Violent Deaths of Older People,

by Gender. 2020

Men Women

22% 78%

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One hundred and fifteen (62%) of the older people who died violently during the first half of the year 2020 were between 60 and 70 of age, followed by those aged between 71 and 80 (24%). Ten (10) women between 55 and 59 of age (5.4%) suffered a violent death.

(See Chart 4) CHART 4

Violent Deaths of Older People, by Age Range.

January-June, 2020 (Percentages)

Unknown 91 y+ 81-90

1,62 0,00 7,03

71-80

23,78

60-70 55-59 0,00

62,16 5,41 10,00

20,00

30,00

40,00

50,00

60,00

70,00

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

In terms of gender, 130 men and 29 women between the ages of 60 and 80 died violently.

(See Chart 5)

CHART 5

Violent Deaths of Older People,

by Gender and Age Range. 2020 (Percentages)

140 Women

120

Men

100 80 71,48

60 40 20

55,36 16,07

0

55-59

60-70

23,15 19,64

4,36 8,04

71-80

81-90

0,89 91 y +

1,01 0,89 Unknown

Eight violent deaths of elderly people of nationalities other than Venezuelan were recorded during the period. (See Chart 6) CHART 6

Muertes violentas de personas mayores

Venezuelan

segĂşn nacionalidad 2020

177

Venezuelan

1

German

1

Argentinian

1

Asian

1

Ecuadorian

3

Colombian

1

Portuguese

177

January-June, 2020

#OldAgeAtRisk 2.1. Identification of Perpetrators in Violent Deaths of Older People The perpetrators of violent deaths of older people were identified, captured, and charged

only in 50 (27%) of all reported cases, Twenty-six (26) of the culprits had some connection, relationship, or direct kinship with the victims. It should be noted that the vast majority of these homicides go unpunished, which aggravates violence and violates the right to justice for the families of the victims.

Among the perpetrators who had some type of direct relationship or kinship with the

victims, there are direct relatives, neighbors, friends, and domestic/love partners. (See Chart 7)

CHART 7

Perpetrators of Violent Crimes against Older People

and their Relationship with their Victims. January-June 2020 (Percentage of Total Perpetrators Known to the Victims)

50

12

46,2

40 30 20 10

23,1 11,5

7,7

Son/Daughter

Grandchild

11,5

0 Spouse/Partner

Sibling/Nephew, Neighbors, Niece/ Other Relatives friends and acquaintances

In three (3) of the cases referred to above, the victims were killed by their own children, and in two (2) cases, by their grandchildren. Three (3) of the violent acts were perpetrated by

siblings, nephews or nieces, and other relatives. In twelve (12) of the cases, the perpetrators were neighbors, friends, and acquaintances, and in six (6) of the cases the perpetrators were the spouses or partners of the victim. The main motive of the perpetrators was

robbery, and other crimes were committed during an argument or a fight. These violent deaths underscore the deterioration of the family, of the social fabric, and of coexistence,

which is exacerbated in the context of a major economic crisis and hardship, and is made even worse during mandated quarantine during the pandemic.

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

Celestino Ávila Díaz, 62, was hacked to death with a machete by his granddaughter and her partner during an argument. The granddaughter wanted to take ownership of her grandfather’s house (El Cooperante, 02/04/2020).

In the midst of a heated argument, Gloria Estela Martínez Palacios, 70, was beaten to death with an iron bar by her 46-year-old son (El Nacional, 04/22/2020)

Two siblings, aged 15 and 18, stabbed their uncle, 68-year-old Antonio Chacón López, to death. They wanted to steal from him while in his house (Panorama, 02/11/2020)

Félix Alberto Navarro, 62, was killed during a heated argument with his wife, who slit his throat with a broken glass bottle, over the delivery of the government-subsidized food bag (El Periódico de Monagas, 04/29/2020)

Michael Karl Reinhold, a German national, murdered his wife Bruhnke Enrike Gertrud, 61, in El Salado, state of Nueva Esparta, by suffocation; he then buried her corpse in his backyard. She had dared to question his opinion (Reporte Confidencial, 05/16/2020)

The Report on Femicides prepared by the Center for Justice and Peace (CEPAZ, by its Spanish acronym) for the April 14-June 13, 2020 period, reveals that in 20.8 of the cases, the

victims were between 60 and 71 years of age. According to the report, during the first quarter of 2020, victims in this age range accounted for 2.4 percent of the cases. During the

second and third months of the mandatory COVID-19 quarantine, a substantial increase of

over 18 percent was reported in the number of femicide cases. During confinement, 20.8

percent of the victims were women between 60 and 71 of age. The majority of the femicides occurred in the privacy of the home of the victims or their partners’. In some cases, the

deaths were caused by gunshot wounds; in others, the victims were stabbed, or strangled, or beaten to death.

January-June, 2020

13

#OldAgeAtRisk Most of these older women were living or had lived with their aggressors. In a number of cases, the perpetrators were family members (parents, uncles/aunts, siblings, children, grandchildren). In terms of motives, retribution and theft stand out.

2.2. Violent Deaths of Elderly People from Specific Causes The most frequent causes of all violent deaths from specific causes reported over this period include:

Run-overs: Twenty-six (26) elderly people were run over, accounting for fourteen percent (14%) of all violent deaths.

Accidents (motor-vehicle, household, job-related, and other): Fourteen percent (14%) of all violent deaths (26) were the result of accidents. It should be noted that

eight (8) of the victims died in motor-vehicle/road accidents, and five (5) in accidents in the workplace. Thirteen (13) senior citizens died while climbing trees, looking for firewood, or by electrocution while repairing household appliances.

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Firearms: Twenty-three (23) senior citizens (12%) died from gun wounds.

Lack of assistance: Thirty-three (33) senior citizens (18%) died from causes directly

attributable to the State, for it failed to provide them with timely healthcare or social

assistance. These people died for lack of medicines, medical supplies, medical care, security, or because of deficiencies in public services, among other causes. Twenty-nine (29) of the deaths in question were caused by COVID-19.

Stabbing: Twenty-nine (29) senior citizens (16%) died from some kind of blunt wound made by sharp objects.

Mechanical asphyxiation: Eleven (11) senior citizens (6%) died from strangulation by others during a robbery or a fight.

Beatings: Twelve (12) of the deaths (7%) were caused by severe beatings in the middle of a robbery.

Suicide: Fourteen (14) senior citizens (8%) intentionally took their own lives.

(See Chart 8)

2.3. Violent Deaths of Elderly People, by Motive As shown in Chart 9, forty-nine (49) (28%) older people were killed while being robbed, most of them in their own homes. There was no known motive for nine percent (9%) of the violent

deaths. Fifteen (15) older people were killed during a fight, and eight (8) were killed for score settling or retribution. (See Chart 9)

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

CHART 8

Violent Deaths of Elderly People from Specific Causes.

January-June, 2020

4

Violent Deaths Unknown

1

Provoked Accidents

6

Suicide

12

Beating

14

11

Mechanical Asphixiation

29

Stabbing Death due to lack of…

23

Firearm Accident

33

26 26

Run-overs 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

CAHRT 9

Number and Percentage of Violent Deaths of Older People,

by Motive. January-June, 2020.

60 50

49

30

27,84

25

40

20

30

15

20

15

8,58

10

10 8

0 Robber

Fight

5,11

4,55

Score Settling/ Retribution

9

1 0,57 Kidnapping

5 0

Unknown

January-June, 2020

#OldAgeAtRisk Raúl Torres Salazar, 72, was inside a passenger vehicle covering the Filas de Mariches-Petare-Santa Lucía route, when minor criminals subdued him with a firearm to rob him.

Torres Salazar threw himself out of the vehicle while it was still running, but was shot in the chest (El Tiempo, 01/09/2020).

Two subjects grabbed 60-year-old Francisco Manuel García and asked him to surrender his belongings. He had nothing on him, so the crooks decided to steal his shoes. García struggled, and the criminals stabbed him in the chest (La Prensa de Lara, 01/16/2020).

A farmer was murdered in the state of Barinas. Nelson José Vásquez, 70, was caught off guard upon arriving at his house by criminals who tried to kidnap. He resisted. The criminals beat him and shot him (El Luchador, 02/23/2020).

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Orfa Elena Moreno Rodriguez, 77, was at her home when some individuals broke in through the roof to steal from her. Orpha Elena had heard noises and set to find out what was going on. The thieves gagged her and tied her hands. She died of a heart attack caused by the stress of the assault (Diario La Calle, 04/30/2020)

2.4. Violent Deaths of Older People, by Federal Entity As shown in Chart 10, thirty-four (34%) of all violent deaths of older people reported for the

first half of 2020 occurred in the states of Aragua (24), Zulia (19), and the Metropolitan Area

of Caracas (19), followed by Bolivar (14), Carabobo (13), Trujillo (13), Lara (12) and Miranda (12). Of the 22 federal entities where violent deaths of elderly people were recorded, the ones with the least number of cases were Apure and Guárico, with one (1) violent death each, followed by Sucre, Portuguesa, Nueva Esparta, and Delta Amacuro, with two (2) cases each. (See Chart 10)

2.5. Violent Deaths of Older People that are the Direct Responsibility of the State, by Federal Entity As we have previously discussed , violent deaths of older people were classified into four categories: Deaths from Specific Causes; Deaths Due to Carelessness, Negligence, or Poor Judgment; Deaths that are the Direct Responsibility of the State (Starvation, Torture and Ill

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

CHART 10

Violent Deaths of Older People, by Federal Entity January-June, 2020

19

Zulia

7

Vargas

13

Trujillo

5

Táchira

2 2

Sucre Portuguesa

2

Nueva Esparta

6

Monagas

12

Miranda

3

Mérida

12

Lara

1

Guárico

10

Falcón

2

Delta Amacuro Cojedes

3

13

Carbobo

14

Bolívar

6

Barinas

24

Aragua

1

Apure Anzoátegui

8

19

MAC 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Treatment, and Lack of Assistance), and Other Types (Suicide and Accidents). There is a tendency to consider that violent deaths from specific causes, such as those caused by

carelessness, negligence, or poor judgment, occur because of violence among individuals

and that, consequently, the State is not to be ascribed any responsibility therefor. However, according to the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of the person,” “The right to life is inherent in the human

person, and everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law,” and “No one should be depri-

ved arbitrarily of his/her life.” Furthermore, “The States Parties undertake to respect and guarantee the full exercise of these rights to all persons subject to their jurisdiction.” (https://www.derechoshumanos.net/proteccion/index.htm).

January-June, 2020

#OldAgeAtRisk During the first semester of 2020, thirty-three (33) violent deaths were recorded where the

State has a direct responsibility, including those due to lack of attention and essential

supplies, and those involving the direct action of security forces of the Venezuelan State, where the latter was not able to guarantee the right to life of the elderly. Most deaths were

the result of either deficiencies in public services such as water, electric power, and gas, or deficiencies in the health care system.

Violent deaths where the State is directly responsible are those that occur because of the action, inaction, omissions, or consent or acquiescence, directly or by inciting others, of regional and local governments and official authorities, the immediate or eventual conse-

quence of which is the premature death of elderly citizens. These deaths underscore the

various violations of the right to life and other human rights that are universally guaranteed, for the State was not able to meet its obligation to preserve and protect the lives of the elderly when faced with the threat of dying unnaturally or prematurely. Quite the opposite:

the State deprived the elderly of means of protection, which led to their unnatural or premature death.

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It can be seen from Chart 11 that the violent deaths for which the State is directly responsible

occurred in twelve (12) federal entities. The four (4) states with the highest incidence of

deaths where the State has a direct responsibility were the state of Zulia, with eight (8) cases; the Metropolitan Area of Caracas, with seven (7) cases; the state of Lara, with four (4) cases, and the state of Miranda, with three (3) cases. The remaining federal entities showed a lower incidence of deaths due to this cause.

Until early June, Venezuela had a COVID-19 mortality rate of 0.77 people per million inhabi-

tants. This places the country in the group of the 24 countries with the lowest mortality rates for COVID-19 in the world. It should be noted that these mortality rate figures are derived

from the mortality rate figures officially reported to that date, which feature numerical

inconsistencies. Accordingly, they only allow us to ascertain the age and gender of the

deceased person and the federal entity where he or she died. The average age of death for

women and men is very similar, 59.5 years for the former and 59.7 years for the latter. On the other hand, 81.8% of deaths are of men, whereas 18.9% are of women (Efecto Cocuyo, June 9, 2020).

In Venezuela, elderly’s rights to life, integrity, health, food, and security are consistently viola-

ted. The State does not guarantee the elderly their exercise of said human rights, and the limitations and health complications characteristic of old age amplify the risks of prematu-

re death. The lingering complex humanitarian emergency is compounded with hyperinflation and spiking food and medicine prices, which makes access thereto difficult for older

people. Treatment for chronic diseases and other ailments typical of old age is very costly for the vast majority of older persons1.

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

The State's lack of interest in defining policies for the care, preventive assistance, and

protection of the older population makes them an easy prey to crime, with criminals acting

with total impunity under the cold stare of a State that seems not to have concerns about the lives of its citizens.

2.6. Violent Deaths of Older People by Month of Occurrence June was the month with the highest number of violent deaths of older people. Fifty-nine (59) senior citizens died in June. The month of June is followed by May, with forty (40)

deaths, and April, with twenty-five (25). The month with the lowest number of deaths was March, with eighteen (18) (See Chart 12).

19

1

See Convite A.C. Monitoring Access to Health in Venezuela, January-June, 2020.

January-June, 2020

#OldAgeAtRisk CHART 11

Violent Deaths of Older People where the State has a Direct Responsibility,

by Federal Entity. January-June, 2020.

10 8 7

5 3 1

1

1

1

Aragua

Bolívar

Carabobo

Falcón

2

2 1

1

1

1

NA

Zulia

Trujillo

Táchira

Sucre

Miranda

Mérida

20

Lara

MAC

0

CHART 12

Violent Deaths of Older People,

per Month of Occurrence January-June, 2020

59

June

40

May

25

April

18

March

20

February

23

January 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Victimization Report: Old Age at Risk. Violent Deaths of Elderly Persons in Venezuela

References Center for Justice and Peace (CEPAZ) 2020: Monitoring Femicides in Venezuela: April 14 – June 13.

Convite A.C: Monitoring Access to Health in Venezuela, 2020. Newsletters.

Inter American Commission of Human Rights https://www.derechoshumanos.net/proteccion/index.htm).

Fermín, Yeannaly: Runrunes.es, April 5, 2020.

Jeanfreddy Gutiérrez: “Seventy-Seven Percent of COVID-19 Deaths in Venezuela are of People Younger than 69.” Efecto Cocuyo, June 9, 2020.

Global Health Security Index 2019.

Venezuela: Compulsory Social Security Act of 1967. 2008 Reform to the Comulsory Social Security Act of 1967.

21

Venezuela: Organic Law of the Integral Social Security System, 1997.

Olivieri, María Laura, 2020: COVID-19 and the Elderly: Measures Taken in the Region. News from Latin America and the Caribbean (NODAL). May 29, 2020.

January-June, 2020

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