The Human Rights Watch has called for prompt return to “rights-respecting democracy” in Venezuela, lamenting decade of repression, human rights amid the ouster of ex-president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.

In statement by HRW on Saturday, America’s director at Human Rights Watch, Juanita Gobertus, condemned Mr Maduro-led Chavismo, a left‑wing populist political ideology based on the ideas, policies, and governing style of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.

“After decades of brutal repression under Chavismo, Venezuelans deserve a prompt transition to a rights-respecting democracy, led by Venezuelans, where their freedoms and right to participate in free and fair elections are respected, political prisoners are released, and those responsible for serious human rights violations are held to account,” Ms Gobertus said in the statement.

She added, “In 2024, independent election observers presented data showing Venezuelans voted to oust Maduro from power, and that the official results were riddled with fraud.”

HRW also accused President Donald Trump’s government of humans rights abuse, citing extrajudicial killings carried out by American military before the capture of Mr Maduro on Saturday.

“Human Rights Watch will continue to monitor and investigate any US strikes on Venezuelan soil. The US extrajudicial execution of 115 people in vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, in the buildup to these strikes in Venezuela, are a worrying sign of the Trump administration’s disregard for its human rights obligations,” the statement said.

It added, “Human Rights Watch will also monitor the response from the current Venezuelan authorities, including any further abuses against political opponents and critics in the country. At this critical juncture, governments in Latin America and the European Union should push for a peaceful transition to a rights-respecting democracy in Venezuela.”

HRW statement comes against the backdrop of Mr Maduro’s capture by U.S. forces at Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, on Saturday after massive airstrikes by U.S. military. 

Few months ago, in August 2025, U.S. government declared Mr Maduro wanted for peddling drugs into the United States, offering $50million reward for information leading to the arrest of the Venezuelan leader.

U.S. Attorney General, Pamela Bondi on Saturday said, “Nicolas Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices against the United States.”

Venezuelan government condemned the arrest of Mr Maduro and the invasion of Venezuelan by U.S. military. Similarly, Russian ministry of foriegn affairs opposed the invasion of Venezuelan and arrest of Mr Maduro.