160 women and 16 people with disabilities among those detained since July 29

• The non-governmental organization has denounced the procedural irregularities faced by those arrested in the context of the post-election protests. Main photo: EFE

Foro Penal reported that among those detained in the post-electoral context are 160 women and 16 people with disabilities. The NGO provided the figure in its update of its report on repression between July 29 and August 9.

The organization said that among those arrested they have also been able to identify 114 teenagers and 5 indigenous people. Defenders of Foro Penal have denounced that procedural irregularities have occurred both in the arrests and in the presentation of the detainees before courts.

Alfredo Romero, president of Foro Penal, published on his X account the update of the report that located The total number of detainees is 1,263The report states that all these cases have been verified and identified in 23 entities of the country, of which the Capital District, Carabobo and Anzoátegui accumulate the highest number of arrests.

Cases of people with disabilities

Photo: EFE/ Henry Chirinos

The Confederation of the Deaf of Venezuela (Consorten) had also warned that in the context of the post-election protests persons with disabilities were arrested. The institution indicated that the first case is that of a young man with a hearing disability who was arrested on July 29 by the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) in the El Valle parish in Caracas.

“When he left his workplace, he was approached by the GNB, without understanding the reason for his arrest, all of this because the young man does not speak sign language and does not know how to read or write. He requires alternative communication systems provided by sign language interpreters,” said the president of Consorven, Juan Ángel De Gouveia, through the NGO social networks on August 7th.

According to Consorven, the same day the arrest of a teenager with autism was also reported, while he was on his way home in Los Teques, Miranda state.

The teenager was also accused by authorities of being linked to protests in several Venezuelan cities a day after the presidential elections.

The NGO shared details of the third case, revealing that it concerns a young man with an intellectual disability who was arrested in Caracas for allegedly appearing in a video “disturbing public order.” The organization indicated that this person has learning difficulties and short-term memory.

About women in detention

EFE/ Ronald Peña R.

Among the 160 women arrested, cases of political activists, journalists and humanitarian workers have been made public. Some of these arrests did not take place directly in protests.

The most recent cases include those of the opposition leader Maria Oropezain Portuguese, the humanitarian worker Edni Lopez in La Guaira and photojournalist Deysi Peña in Miranda.

State security officials arrested Oropeza, head of the campaign for the Comando con Venezuela in the state of Portuguesa, during the night of Tuesday, August 6. Through her social networks, the opposition leader broadcast live the moment in which the agents entered her house and arrested her. In the video, it can be seen how the officials used tools to breach the house’s fence.

López was arrested on August 4 at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía (La Guaira), after she was prevented from boarding a flight she had scheduled. On August 6, the humanitarian worker was transferred to the courts of La Guaira.

Photojournalist Deysi Peña was arrested by the Guaicaipuro Municipal Police on August 2. She was brought before the Los Teques court on Wednesday, August 7, charged with the alleged crime of terrorism.

Related news