CARACAS, July 2, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Venezuela's government-aligned National Assembly declared UN rights chief Volker Turk "persona non grata" on Tuesday, after a recent report by his office described a continued deteriorating rights situation in the country.

Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, last week denounced "arbitrary detentions, violations of due process and enforced disappearances" over the past year by President Nicolas Maduro's government.

The Venezuelan attorney general's office called Turk's report an "aggression."

National Assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez, a close Maduro ally, called for the government to end any involvement with Turk's office.

"There will be time to come back when he is not so disgusting, there will be time to come back when they at least regain their form and sanity," he said ahead of the vote.

The High Commissioner's office has had a presence in Venezuela since 2019, with its critical reports a frequent point of contention with Maduro's government.