Maria Corina Machado celebrated the releasethis Saturday, dozens of opponents that had been unjustly detained in recent months for having protested against Chavista fraud in the July elections.
The opposition leader said she felt “an immense relief” knowing that these innocent people “are returning to their homes and to the joy of their families, to be able to hug them again” and he valued their bravery throughout this last time.
“They are citizens who have suffered irreparable harm unjustly. They are heroes of this long and painful struggle. Your country accompanies you with our prayers and “History will recognize his sacrifice.”said in an indirect reference to the growing persecution in Venezuela and the multiple allegations of torture and inhumane conditions to which prisoners are subjected.
Machado also recognized “the love and bravery of their familiesas well as the risk of human rights defenders”, who did not lower their arms and, through their efforts and complaints, made his departure possible.
Despite the joy, the anti-Chavista recalled that there are still hundreds of unjustly detained and all of them “They deserve full freedom and not to continue at the mercy of these judges of terror.” “Venezuela is united in the fight to achieve this. “There will be justice”he promised.
The elected president, Edmundo González Urrutiaalso spoke about it and described the news as “a step towards reparation for victims of human rights violations”although he remembered that all these people were victims of the repressive apparatus led by Nicolás Madurosomething that should be unacceptable for the country and the international community in general.
“We cannot forget that they were unjustly detainedwhich They spent months in undignified conditionswhich is denied them their right to self-defensewhich They were accused of being terrorists.“, he said and assured, therefore, that he will continue working so that no other Venezuelan has to go through something like this and so that those who remain behind bars are released.
“We deserve real justice, a change that ends arbitrary detentions as a general and systematic attack. Justice and freedom for all political prisoners!”closed his message.
Other anti-Chavistas also received the news of the releases with joy, such as the former governor Henrique Caprileswho wrote in his account X that “these innocents are under the embrace of their mothers and relatives who They fought bravely without giving upso that they would be released. “They should never have been imprisoned and they should all leave freely,” while the former president of the National Electoral Council Andres Caleca said feel a mixture of joy for those released and “great indignation” for those who are still behind bars.
“Neither thanks nor forgiveness. By imprisoning them, they violated constitutional rights, due process, human rights and various laws of the Republic,” he sentenced.
In that same tone, the former deputy and president of the Encuentro Ciudadano party, Delsa Solorzanomentioned that the news “It does not erase the pain of what was suffered and, much less, the fact of the unjust imprisonment itself.”
César Pérez Vivasformer governor of Táchira, also used his social networks to recognize the “struggle of democratic society”which pressured the regime to achieve this reunion of the victims with their families.
This Friday afternoon, the attorney general, Tarek William Saabsaid that the Public Ministry I would review hundreds of cases of opponents imprisoned in the framework of the post-election protests, most of them accused of terrorism. Shortly after that, on Saturday morning, the NGO Foro Penal confirmed the first releases, which continued throughout the day.
Until now, some 70 personas have been released, of the total 225 that confirmed from the Prosecutor’s Office that they will be included in this decision.
The images of relatives waiting for their loved ones and the reunions after days of misinformation outside the Yare III, Tocorón, Tocuyito penitentiary centers and the Las Crisálidas women’s prison did not take long to reach social networks.
