Venezuela pulling out of OAS human rights bodies

CARACAS, Venezuela — The Organization of American States says Venezuela has begun the process of pulling out of two human rights bodies by formally withdrawing from a regional human rights pact.

The OAS says in a statement that Venezuela's government notified Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza that it is renouncing the American Convention on Human Rights.

Monday's statement says Insulza regrets that decision. He calls the human rights convention "one of the pillars of the legal regulations" aimed at defending human rights in the Americas.

The Venezuelan government didn't immediately comment on the matter.

President Hugo Chavez in July announced plans to pull out of the Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Source: CBS News (11/09/2012): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501715_162-57510057/venezuela-pulling-out-of-oas-human-rights-bodies/