Venezuela rejects UN report criticizing opposition crackdown

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government "categorically" rejected a United Nations human rights report on Friday criticizing repression of political opponents and children in the wake of contested elections, saying it was a sign of coercion against the state.

A U.N. fact-finding mission on human rights violations presented the report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva earlier in the day, in which it said the Venezuelan state was using harsher and more violent methods to repress political opponents and dissidents after the disputed July 28 vote.

"This shameful mission's persistence is a clear sign of the erratic drift led by the U.N. system's institutions, which are increasingly misplaced in their functions and turning into instruments of coercion and blackmail against peoples and sovereign governments," the government said in a statement. '

It said it had the "strongest morals" regarding the defense of human rights and a "robust apparatus" for their protection.

The statement also said that the Human Rights Council has not shown interest in its own denunciations of U.S. sanctions and assassination attempts against President Nicolas Maduro.

The mission meanwhile said in its report that Venezuelan authorities had planned actions to demobilize the opposition, prevent the dissemination of independent information and critical opinions, and to prevent peaceful protests.

Venezuela's highest court declared Maduro the election winner, but the opposition has published voting tallies it argues proves a landslide victory for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.

Gonzalez this month sought political asylum in Spain after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

At least 25 people died in protests following the elections, according to non-governmental organizations, and some 2,400 more were arrested according to the Venezuelan government.

Maduro's government blames the opposition for the deaths in the protests, which it says were attended by "fascists" and "extremists".

The mission said it had reports that 130 boys and 28 girls had been arrested in the protests, saying girls were subjected to sexual harassment while in detention with adult men. Authorities released at least 86 children early this month.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke with Maduro on Friday over the reports of human rights violations and post-election violence, his spokesperson said, stressing the need for peaceful, inclusive dialogue and taking note of Maduro's positions.

(Reporting by Deisy Buitrago; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Diane Craft)