Venezuela: Update to VEN28654.FE, VEN28658.FE and VEN26688.FE of 21 January 1998 on the situation of homosexuals, including names of homosexual organizations or businesses in Barquisimeto (1997 to present)

El Nacional reported that during Pride Week 1997 in Caracas, the Movimiento Ambiente de Venezuela (MAV) took the opportunity to gather signatures for a petition to be submitted to the National Congress to form a political party called "Dignity for our People" (Dignidad para Nuestra Gente) that would defend human rights for gays and lesbians (29 June 1998). Other petitions instigated by the homosexual community include: the right to choose one's sexual orientation be included in Article 61 of the Constitution; sex education be included in the education curriculum; policies be created to ensure that proper medication be provided to HIV-positive patients; the medical federation (Federación Médica) carry out operations for transsexuals without discrimination; no systemic discrimination against homosexuals be carried out in the workplace or in schools; and persons of the same sex be allowed to marry (ibid.).

AFP reported in January 1998 that homosexuals were to be "formally barred" from the Venezuelan Armed Forces (10 Jan. 1998). The same article states that homosexuality "currently is grounds for deferring one's draft call-up indefinitely." In Venezuela, military service remains compulsory for all persons 18-years of age (ibid.). General Venancio Ortega compared Venezuela's policy with that of the United States which permits gays into the military as long as they do not reveal their sexual orientation (ibid.).

In October 1998, El Nacional reported that Oswaldo Reyes, the head of MAV, was nominated for the Felipa Da Sosa prize granted by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) in San Francisco for his work in defending human rights of homosexuals  (13 Oct. 1998). The same article states that MAV established to a registry of denunciations and violations to be presented before the Attorney General's Office (Fiscalía General de la República) and the National Congress (ibid.). MAV submitted a detailed report on abuses committed against homosexuals to the Congressional Human Rights Commission (ibid.). In that report, a case was made against the head of the civil police in the parish (parroquia) of El Recreo, Giovanna Gómez, for police harassment against the homosexual community (ibid.). MAV hopes that a municipal by-law in Libertador, one of Caracas' municipalities, will be passed in the upcoming months that would oblige landlords of gay premises to instigate prevention campaigns against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (ibid.).

In a 17 November 1998 telephone interview with the general director of the Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI) in Caracas, a non-government organization ensuring that HIV-positive individuals have recourse to the law, stated that the situation of homosexuals remains serious even though there is greater openness towards them in Venezuelan society. He reiterated what he stated in VEN28654.FE that no systemic policy of "persecution" exists against homosexuals in Venezuela; however, social attitudes remain negative. In recent months, a second human rights organization fighting for gay rights called "Without Borders" (Sin Fronteras) has been established. The director stated that four months ago, police officers began a "persecution" campaign against homosexuals in the "gay" neighbourhood of Savana Grande and in the parish of El Recreo (see El Nacional). These campaigns, which target mostly poor homosexuals, have involved throwing suspected homosexuals from the bars they frequent and taking them to detention centres where they are sometimes kept for over 12 hours. According to the director, many police officers suspect that homosexuals are involved in the drug trade and detain them in order to check their criminal background. He added that police often associate homosexuals with the drug trade because of some high-profile drug cases that have involved transsexuals and prostitution.

On the issue of homosexuals in Barquisimeto, the director was able to confirm that there were two bars, but did not know their names. Generally, he stated, the situation for gays in Barquisimeto is opening up, but he could not elaborate on whether homosexuals there were being harassed by the authorities.

Attempts to obtain additional information from ACCSI's source in Barquisimeto and the Movimiento Ambiente de Venezuela (MAV), the first human rights organization fighting for gay rights, were unsuccessful.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI), Caracas. 17 November 1998. Telephone interview with the general director.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 10 January 1998. "Venezuela Says No to Gays in Military, Maybe to Women." (NEXIS)

El Nacional [Caracas]. 13 October 1998. "ONG venezolana nominada a premio." [Internet] [Accessed 16 Nov. 1998].

_____. 29 June 1997. "Se llamará 'Dignidad para Nuestra Gente'." [Internet] [Accessed 16 Nov. 1998].

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International Report 1998. 1998.

Human Rights World Report 1998. 1998.

IGLHRC Action Alert [San Francisco]. 1997-1998.

ILGA Bulletin [Brussels]. 1997-1998.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1997-1998.

Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, Internet, REFWORLD and WNC.