8
persons fair compensation for patrimonial and non-patrimonial damages, including pain
and suffering.
480.
Conduct an exhaustive investigation to identify, prosecute and order
the disciplinary, administrative and criminal punishment of those responsible for the
unlawful burial of corpses in mass graves in the La Peste sector of the Southern General
Cemetery. In this respect, the State should continue immediately with the process of
exhuming the corpses that was halted in 1991.
Likewise, it should identify the
remaining 65 corpses, determine the causes of death by means of official autopsies and
inform the respective next of kin so that they may proceed to bury their dead.
481.
Immediately hand over to the next of kin the remains of the victims in
those cases where, although being aware of the deaths, the State has still not done this.
482.
Inform the Venezuelan people of the official list with the first and last
names of the 276 people who died during the events of February and March 1989, and
also the specific circumstances in which they died. Furthermore, the State should carry
out an exhaustive investigation in order to identify, prosecute and punish the individual
State agents who were involved in the deaths of these 276 persons. Once the
participation of State agents has been proved, the next of kin of the victims should be
paid fair compensation for the patrimonial and non-patrimonial damages, including pain
and suffering.
483.
Immediately lift the restricted nature of the proceedings of the 44
cases that are pending in both the ordinary and the military jurisdictions, since this
impedes the victims’ next of kin and their lawyers from having real access to remedies
under domestic law. In this regard, the respective courts of justice should locate the
next of kin of the victims – in coordination with non-governmental human rights
organizations – so that they may contribute additional information to clarify the facts.
484.
Provide greater material and human resources to the Central Morgue
of Caracas in order to avoid situations such as those encountered on February 27, 1989.
Likewise, the State should reorganize and modernize the Department of Identification
and Foreigners.
485.
Provide the Institute of Forensic Medicine with the necessary human
and material resources to enable it to operate effectively and promptly.
486.
Introduce a comprehensive training process in human rights for the
various security organs of the Venezuelan State, through seminars, courses, etc.; it
should include issues relating to the suspension of constitutional guarantees and rights
that may not be suspended
487.
Ratify the Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of
Persons, an international instrument that the Venezuelan State signed on June 10,
1994, during the twenty-fourth regular session of the General Assembly of the
Organization of American States.
Furthermore, the Commission resolved:
1.
To forward this report to the State of Venezuela - which is not
authorized to publish it – pursuant to Article 50 of the American Convention on Human
Rights.
2.
To grant the State of Venezuela a period of two months from the date
this report is transmitted to comply with the recommendations contained in paragraphs
477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486 and 487 and to inform the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights of the measures adopted to resolve the various
situations violated, all this pursuant to Article 50.3 of the American Convention.
3.
To notify the petitioners of the adoption of a report in this case, under
Article 50 of the American Convention on Human Rights.