Relatives of political prisoners called for a vigil in Caracas

• The rally will take place in Plaza Los Palos Grandes, between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm | Main photo: Taken from X / @CaleidoHumano

Relatives of Venezuelan political prisoners have called for a vigil in the city of Caracas to demand better prison conditions and the freedom of their loved ones. This rally will take place on Thursday, August 8, in Plaza Los Palos Grandes, between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

The Venezuelan Program for Education-Action in Human Rights (Provea) published the call on the social network X. “Let us illuminate in peace and as a family our march towards freedom, to meet with our loved ones and the country we decided on,” says the publication.

Photo: Taken from X / @_Provea

One of the organisers of this rally is Andreína Baduel, sister of Josnars Baduel, who was arrested in May 2020 and accused of being part of Operation Gedeón. Josnars Baduel is currently being held at the El Rodeo Judicial Internment Centre.

What was Operation Gideon?

It was a maritime incursion that occurred on May 3, 2020 and was planned by the American Jordan Goudreau. Among the members of this operation were Josnars Baduel, son of the late General Raúl Isaías Baduel.

Following the presidential elections in Venezuela on July 28, there has been a significant increase in the number of people arrested for protesting against the results announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the elections.

There have also been arrests, including that of the political leader of the Voluntad Popular (VP) political party, Freddy Superlano, and journalist Roland Carreño.

Freddy Superlano and Roland Carreño are being held in El Helicoide

Lawyer Joel García confirmed on August 6 that journalist Roland Carreño and political leader of Voluntad Popular Freddy Superlano They are being held in the El Helicoide Penitentiary Centerin Caracas.

“Today at least they admitted that they are being held in the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), El Helicoide,” García detailed in a video published by the VP party on X (formerly Twitter).

Photo: El Diario Archive

However, García said that they are unaware of the legal situation of Carreño and Superlano because they do not have a trusted defense attorney.

García denounced that it is unknown what Roland Carreño is accused of and what Freddy Superlano is accused of. In addition, he described the trial of both as a “kidnapping with a judicial appearance.”

For her part, Aurora Silva de Superlano, the wife of the opposition leader, said that knowing the whereabouts of her husband is “no guarantee of anything.”

According to Silva, officials informed her that her husband does not have the right to visits or any type of communication at the moment. Freddy Superlano was arrested on July 30th in the Sebucán sector of Caracas, while Roland Carreño was arrested on August 2nd.

Likewise, the relatives of the humanitarian worker Edni López went to the Ombudsman’s Office in Caracas on August 6 to request information from the authorities on the charges against the activist.

Photo: Provea

The López family reported that they had no further contact with Edni from Sunday, August 4th at 9:30 amjust after authorities at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía prevented him from boarding a scheduled flight.

“Give me back my daughter, it’s not fair that a Venezuelan mother has to go through this,” the mother said in statements to the media.

Most of the protesters are accused of “terrorism””

Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of the Penal Forum, denounced this Monday, August 5, that the “vast majority” of those detained in Venezuela in protests against the official result of the presidential elections of July 28 They are accused of “terrorism”.

The non-governmental organization (NGO), which leads the defense of political prisoners in the country, identified a “clear pattern” in the 1,010 arrests recorded since July 29 through Monday, August 5, related to the accusation of crimes, among which they also recorded “incitement to hatred.”

Photo: EFE

Furthermore, Himiob indicated that there is a “prequalification of crimes without even having investigated.”

“These investigations are just beginning, so there is still no time to evaluate evidence that would allow us to say whether this is one crime or another,” he explained in an interview with the EFE news agency.

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