The watchdog group Human Rights Watch (HRW) is accusing Venezuela of violating the rights of opposition protesters through beatings, illegal detentions, and failure to follow due process.  But Venezuelan officials vigorously deny accusations of a systematic campaign of human rights violations.

The report is called “Punished for Protesting,” based on the investigation done in March into 45 cases of “serious human rights violations”.  It claims government troops used excessive force against peaceful protesters, and that state prosecutors and judges tolerated or participated in the abuses.

But the report doesn’t take into account the reality of Venezuela’s own investigations into alleged excesses committed by officers.  President Nicolas Maduro and Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez have all along acknowledged some abuses by security officials.  The government hasn’t address the specific 45 cases in the HRW report.

But prosecutors are investigating 142 allegations of human rights abuses – including one for torture.  That’s more than three times the number of cases Human Rights Watch examined.  And at least 17 officials are being detained in connection with excessive violence against protesters.

Moreover, HRW and the international media have yet to mention opposition attacks on the Cuban doctors and medical workers who work for the government’s program to finally bring health care to low income and poor people.  They’ve changed lives in communities that were under-served or not served at all due to neoliberal neglect.  But the largely conservative protesters and opposition have spread conspiracy theories alleging the middle-aged healthcare workers of being Cuban spies.