The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances expressed serious concern on Monday regarding the enforced disappearance of Víctor Hugo Quero Navas and his subsequent death while in state custody in Venezuela.
In a public statement, the organization urged the Venezuelan government to initiate a prompt, thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the matter.
"The investigation must incorporate independent forensic evidence, proper identification of the body, and its dignified delivery to the family," the global body stated.
The Working Group highlighted contradictions between recent official information and an Appearance Record from the Public Defender's Office dated October 24, 2025. "The document indicated to the family that Quero Navas was located in Rodeo I, but the guards denied any confirmation. Furthermore, the authorities did not inform the family about the death, despite knowing about the public campaign to locate him," they noted.
"The authorities concealed the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared person for months, even after his death," the Working Group stated.
The experts considered it serious that the State did not guarantee the right to truth and did not allow the mother to see her son or receive timely information. The organization recalled that the State has an obligation to guarantee the right to truth, ensure accountability, and put an end to enforced disappearances.
The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, composed of independent experts such as Gabriella Citroni (president), Grażyna Baranowska, and others, operates within the framework of the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council.
"The case of Mr. Quero Navas illustrates the profound suffering that families face when authorities conceal the fate and whereabouts of a disappeared person," the experts stated.