The non-governmental organization Criminal Forumwho leads the defense of political prisoners in Venezuela, reported this Friday that “1,903 people are still imprisoned for dissenting from the Government,” most of them detained after the presidential elections of July 28.
Lawyer Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of the NGO, told the news agency EFE that the situation of the detainees “remains the same”, after 165 releases confirmed by the defense team this month, within the framework of a case review process requested by the Nicolás Maduro regime and carried out by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Chavista courts.
Of the total number of those imprisoned, he explained, 1,658 are men and 245 women.of which 1,741 are civilians and 162 are military from different bodies of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), whose leaders have expressed unrestricted support for the leader of the Chavista regime in the face of the complaint of fraud in the elections.
Likewise, according to Foro Penal records, 1,861 adults make up this universe of political prisoners, to which are added 42 adolescents between 14 and 17 years oldwhich reveals that 27 minors were released in the last two weeks.
Since July 29, the NGO documented 1,943 arrests in the context of citizen protests against the official result of the elections and in police and military operations ordered by the Executive, which claims to be facing coup conspiracies and plans.
Among those arrested are dozens of political activists and some opposition leaders who held elected positions such as deputies, governors, councilors or mayors.
Foro Penal and the relatives of the detainees have denounced that practically all of them are accused of crimes such as terrorism and that their rights have been disrespected due, among other reasons, to the fact that Justice has prevented these prisoners from appointing their trusted lawyers.
On the other hand, the National Assembly of Venezuela (Parliament, controlled by the ruling Chavismo) approved this Thursday a law that punishes support for international sanctions against the country with sentences of 25 to 30 years in prison and establishes disqualifications of 60 years against leaders who support them.
“Any person who promotes, instigates, requests, invokes, favors, facilitates, supports or participates in the adoption of coercive measures (…) will be punished with imprisonment of 25 to 30 years,” states one of the articles of this law, approved by the National Assembly in response to an initiative in the United States Congress to strengthen sanctions.
The text stipulates fines that exceed one million dollars.
The law also punishes with identical penalties “any person who promotes, instigates, requests, invokes, favors, facilitates, supports, finances or participates in armed or forceful actions” against the Caribbean country.
The Venezuelan legislation responds to a bipartisan bill approved by the United States House of Representatives on November 18 to strengthen sanctions against Caracas. The text needs the green light from the Senate and Maduro’s signature to enter into force.
The legislation under discussion in the US Congress, officially called Prohibition of Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regime (BOLIVAR), vetoes the signing of contracts with people who have business with the regime of Nicolás Maduro, considered “illegitimate” by Washington, or with any other “not recognized as legitimate.”
The United States has imposed financial sanctions on Venezuela in its attempt to remove Maduro from power, proclaimed re-elected on July 28 for a third term (2025-2031) amid complaints of opposition fraud.
(With information from AFP and EFE)
