IACHR grants precautionary measures in favor of three individuals whose whereabouts are unknown, one individual who is deprived of liberty, and a family in Venezuela

November 19, 2025

Washington, DC—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued Resolution 83/2025 on November 17, 2025, to grant precautionary measures in favor of Macario Bonifacio González Arias and his family, Enrique Octavio Márquez Pérez, Merys Torres de Sequea, and Ana Zoris Gutiérrez Torres in Venezuela, in the belief that they face a serious, urgent risk of suffering irreparable harm to their rights to life, personal integrity, and health.

According to the requests for these precautionary measures, the whereabouts of González Arias, Torres de Sequea, and Gutiérrez Torres remain unknown since they were arrested in September 2025, allegedly by officers of the Venezuelan State. Márquez Pérez is believed to be deprived of liberty and held incommunicado, following his arrest in January 2025, although the details of his conditions of detention and health condition are unknown.

The wife, daughter, and granddaughter of González Arias are allegedly being subjected to harassment and tracking by officers of the State. The State failed to provide information to the IACHR on this issue.

After assessing the legal and factual allegations in this case, the IACHR found that the fact that the whereabouts of González Arias, Torres de Sequea, and Gutiérrez Torres are unknown and the mere passage of time increase the probability that they will suffer harm to their rights.

In the case of Márquez Pérez, the IACHR found that the fact that he is deprived of liberty and is not being allowed contact with his family, as well as the lack of information about his conditions of detention and current health condition, all expose him to heightened risks of suffering harm to his rights.

In the case of the family of González Arias, the IACHR noted that harassment and tracking—including the presence of suspicious vehicles near the girl’s school and the family home—are evidence of risks that might materialize at any time, given Venezuela’s current context.

The IACHR further noted that the beneficiaries’ families and representatives have been unable to activate effective domestic remedies to protect the beneficiaries’ rights. The IACHR did not receive from the State any information about the measures that might have been taken to mitigate or otherwise address the risks faced by the beneficiaries. Consequently, in keeping with Article 25 of its Rules of Procedure, the IACHR asked the State of Venezuela to take the following action:

1. Adopt any measures necessary to protect the beneficiaries’ rights to life, personal integrity, and health
2. Report on whether González Arias, Torres de Sequea, and Gutiérrez Torres are in State custody (and, if so, specify their places of detention and the reasons and circumstances that led to their arrests) and on any measures taken to establish their fate or whereabouts
3. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the conditions of detention faced by Márquez Pérez—and González Arias, Torres de Sequea, and Gutiérrez Torres, in case they are deprived of liberty—reflect the applicable international standards, particularly the following:
   1. Enabling contact with their families, trusted legal counsel, and any other representatives, and granting their legal counsel full access to the relevant criminal case files, should such files exist
   2. Saying whether they have been charged with any crimes and whether they have been taken before courts of competent jurisdiction so their arrests might be reviewed, and specifying the courts in charge of these criminal cases (or stating why they have not been taken before court)
   3. Immediately conducting a comprehensive medical examination of their current health condition and ensuring that they have timely access to the specialist medical care and/or treatment they need, as well as notifying their families and representatives of the results of this examination and care
4. Take any measures necessary to ensure that Anabella Liliana Machado Astudillo, María Verónica González Machado, and M.A.C.G. are not subjected to threats, harassment, intimidation, or any other acts of violence
5. Come to an agreement with the beneficiaries and their representatives concerning any measures that need to be taken
6. Report on any actions adopted to investigate the alleged events that gave rise to the adoption of these precautionary measures, in order to prevent such events from happening again in the future

The fact that these precautionary measures have been granted and their adoption by the State of Venezuela do not entail a prejudgment on a potential petition that may be filed before the inter-American system to allege violations of rights protected by the applicable instruments.

The IACHR is an autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS) whose mandate is based on the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. Its mission is to promote and defend human rights throughout the Americas and to serve as an advisory body to the OAS in this area. The IACHR consists of seven independent members elected by the OAS General Assembly who serve in a personal capacity and do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 236/25

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