Opposition leader María Oropeza, a regional collaborator of Edmundo González Urrutia, was arrested on Tuesday night by officials of the “regime,” denounced María Corina Machado, who demanded her “immediate” release.
“The regime has just taken her by force and we don’t know where she is. They kidnapped her! I ask everyone, inside and outside Venezuela, to demand her immediate freedom,” Machado said on X, describing Oropeza, head of González Urrutia’s team in Portuguesa state, as an “extraordinarily brave, intelligent and generous young woman.”
In a live broadcast that Oropeza made on her Instagram account – a video that was soon spread by opposition leaders and parties on social media – the activist denounced that they were “entering” her “home arbitrarily” without a “search warrant,” while a group of people tried to open the gate of her home.
“They are destroying the door, (…) I am not a criminal, I am just another citizen who wants a different country,” she said minutes before the gate was opened and people entered, including a woman, who asked the opposition member for her phone number and to help her and walk “quickly.”
Opposition parties including Primero Justicia (PJ), Voluntad Popular (VP) and Vente Venezuela (VV) called the arrest “arbitrary.”
VV indicated that it was officials from the “Dgcim (General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence)” who entered “by force and without a court order.”
This arrest occurred when Maduro denounced a coup against him, after the CNE declared him the winner, which led to multiple protests against the official result, actions that the authorities describe as “terrorist” and which they accuse the opposition bloc of.
According to official figures, these protests have resulted in 2,229 arrests, who are accused of various crimes.
According to the government, at least 59 police officers and 47 members of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) were injured, while two soldiers died.
According to the NGO Provea, these two deaths add up to 24 civilian deaths, some of them “killed” by members of the security forces or irregular armed groups, an assertion that has not been confirmed or commented on by the authorities.
#Regional #collaborator #Edmundo #González #Urrutia #arrested
2024-09-10 19:34:55
What were the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Venezuelan opposition leader María Oropeza?
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Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Oropeza Arrested Amidst Crackdown on Dissent
In a growing crackdown on dissent, Venezuelan opposition leader María Oropeza was arrested on Tuesday night by officials of the Maduro regime, sparking widespread outrage and demands for her immediate release.
According to María Corina Machado, Oropeza was taken by force from her home in Portuguesa state without a search warrant, and her current whereabouts are unknown [[2]]. Machado described Oropeza as an “extraordinarily brave, intelligent, and generous young woman” who was simply exercising her right to demand a better future for Venezuela.
In a live broadcast on Instagram, Oropeza denounced the arbitrary invasion of her home by security forces, saying “They are destroying the door… I am not a criminal, I am just another citizen who wants a different country” [[3]]. The video, which was widely shared on social media, shows Oropeza refusing to back down in the face of intimidation, earning her widespread admiration and respect from the opposition community.
Oropeza’s arrest has been condemned by opposition parties including Primero Justicia (PJ), Voluntad Popular (VP), and Vente Venezuela (VV), who have called the move “arbitrary” and a clear example of the regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent [[1]].
The General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) has been implicated in the arrest, with VV accusing officials of entering Oropeza’s home by force and without a court order. This move is seen as part of a broader pattern of repression by the Maduro regime, which has sought to quash opposition protests and silence dissenting voices.
The arrest comes at a time of heightened tensions in Venezuela, following the contested election results that declared Maduro the winner. The opposition has cried foul, accusing the regime of electoral fraud and sparking widespread protests against the official result. The authorities have responded with force, labeling the protests “terrorist” and vowing to crack down on dissent.
As the situation continues to unfold, Oropeza’s family and supporters are left anxiously waiting for news of her fate, with no formal charges yet filed against her. The international community is urged to demand her immediate release and to pressure the Maduro regime to respect the human rights of all Venezuelans.
In the face of such blatant repression, the bravery and defiance of María Oropeza serve as a powerful inspiration to all those fighting for democracy and freedom in Venezuela. Her arrest is a stark reminder of the risks faced by opposition leaders and activists in the country, and the urgent need for international solidarity and support.
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What led to the arrest of Venezuelan opposition leader María Oropeza amidst the crackdown on dissent?
Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Oropeza Arrested Amidst Crackdown on Dissent
In a growing crackdown on dissent, Venezuelan opposition leader María Oropeza was arrested on Tuesday night by officials of the Maduro regime, sparking widespread outrage and demands for her immediate release. According to María Corina Machado, Oropeza was taken by force from her home in Portuguesa state without a search warrant, and her current whereabouts are unknown [[2]]. Machado described Oropeza as an “extraordinarily brave, intelligent, and generous young woman” who was simply exercising her right to demand a better future for Venezuela.
In a live broadcast on Instagram, Oropeza denounced the arbitrary invasion of her home by security forces, saying “They are destroying the door… I am not a criminal, I am just another citizen who wants a different country” [[3]]. The video, which was widely shared on social media, shows Oropeza refusing to back down in the face of intimidation, earning her widespread admiration and respect from the opposition community.
Oropeza’s arrest has been condemned by opposition parties including Primero Justicia (PJ), Voluntad Popular (VP), and Vente Venezuela (VV), who have called the move “arbitrary” and a clear example of the regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent [[1]]. The General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) has been implicated in the arrest, with VV accusing officials of entering Oropeza’s home by force and without a court order. This move is seen as part of a broader pattern of repression by the Maduro regime, which has sought to quash opposition protests and silence dissenting voices.
The arrest comes at a time of heightened tensions in Venezuela, following the contested election results that declared Maduro the winner. The opposition has cried foul, accusing the regime of electoral fraud and sparking widespread protests against the official result. The authorities have responded with force, labeling the protests “terrorist” and vowing to crack down on dissent.
As the situation continues to unfold, Oropeza’s family and supporters
