- The incident occurred in the Paseo de Las Mercedes shopping center, according to the political party on its X account.
The political party Acción Democrática reported on Tuesday, August 27, that Félix Arroyo, third vice president of that party, was approached by three armed individuals who put him in a vehicle without license plates.
The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Paseo de Las Mercedes shopping center, Baruta municipality (Miranda) around 1:30 pm.
“We inform that today at 1:30 pm in the parking lot of Paseo de Las Mercedes, our third vice president of the party, Félix Arroyo, was kidnapped, along with his wife, by three unknown persons armed with long weapons and forced to board a vehicle without license plates,” the white party detailed through its account on X.
We inform that today at 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Paseo de Las Mercedes, our third vice president of the party, Félix Arroyo, was kidnapped along with his wife by three unknown persons armed with long weapons and forced to board a vehicle without license plates. pic.twitter.com/L4VnQytCUK
— Democratic Action (@ADemocratica) August 27, 2024
The non-governmental organization (NGO) Un Mundo Sin Mordaza responded to the information and demanded to know his whereabouts. “We demand to know his whereabouts and we hold the Venezuelan State responsible for what may happen to him!”, they mentioned on their X account.
The New Time party, led by Manuel Rosales, rejected the arrest of the representative of Democratic Action and that of Perkins Rocha, lawyer of María Corina Machado.
“We reject the arrest of Perkins Rocha, a witness before the CNE during the presidential election on July 28, and Félix Arroyo, third vice president of the Democratic Action party. We demand their immediate release, that the persecution cease and that their human rights be respected,” Rosales wrote on her social media.
So far, the authorities have not commented on these arrests and the whereabouts of Félix Arroyo and Perkins Rocha are unknown.
Perkins Rocha’s arrest
Another of the arrests that occurred on Tuesday, August 27 was that of Perkins Rocha, lawyer for opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and legal representative of Comando con Venezuela before the National Electoral Council (CNE).
The complaint was made by Machado together with the Vente Venezuela Human Rights Committee through her X accounts, in which the opposition leader blamed the government of Nicolás Maduro for what she called the “kidnapping” of her political advisor.
“The Nicolás Maduro regime has kidnapped my friend and comrade in arms, Perkins Rocha. A just, brave, intelligent, generous man and an exemplary Venezuelan. They intend to subdue us, distract us and terrify us. We continue forward, for Perkins, for all the prisoners and persecuted, and for all of Venezuela,” Machado said in X.
María Corina Machado and other representatives of Vente Venezuela and Comando con Venezuela demanded information on Rocha’s whereabouts, as well as his immediate release.
Regarding the moment of the arrest, the Vente Venezuela Human Rights Committee stated that a group of at least six unidentified men took Perkins Rocha against his will.
For her part, María Costanza Cipriani, Perkins Rocha’s wife, warned that she has not known the lawyer’s whereabouts since approximately 11:00 am on Tuesday, August 27.
“My husband is not a criminal, he is just a citizen who yearns and fights for us all to live in freedom,” she wrote in X.
Arrests of representatives of political parties
Both arrests add to the wave of persecution and harassment suffered by opposition leaders or representatives of political parties opposed to the government of Nicolás Maduro in the post-election context.
Added to these arrests is that of political leader Freddy Superlano, who was arrested on July 30, 2024 by alleged officials of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin).
Furthermore, on August 6, lawyer Joel García confirmed that the political leader was being held in the El Helicoide Penitentiary Center in Caracas, along with journalist Roland Carreño.
Among the other recent arrests are those of the leader María Oropeza and the former deputy Américo De Grazia.
IACHR granted precautionary measures to opposition leaders
On the morning of August 27, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted precautionary measures to several opposition political leaders arrested after the presidential elections on July 28.
The international organization’s measure was for the benefit of Freddy Superlano, after considering that they are in a “serious situation” and “urgent risk of irreparable damage” to their human rights in Venezuela.
In addition, resolution 55/2024 highlighted that the case of the leader of Voluntad Popular of Barinas lacks grounds for his detention.
Other beneficiaries include journalist Roland Carreño, leader María Oropeza, former deputy Américo De Grazia, Carmen García Azuaje, secretary of the Alianza Bravo Pueblo party; and Williams Dávila, former deputy to the National Assembly.
Foro Penal counted 1,674 detainees, the highest number that has been reported
The non-governmental organization (NGO) Foro Penal confirmed on August 23 a total of 1,674 political prisoners in Venezuelathe highest figure reported in the country during the 21st century, according to a report offered on Friday, August 23.
It was learned that of the total number of detainees for political reasons, 1,458 are men and 216 are women. Also, 1,567 are adults and 107 are minors; while 1,519 of the detainees are civilians and another 155 are military personnel.
The NGO reported that between July 22 and August 22, 1,377 people were imprisoned for political reasons and 149 were sentenced. In addition, 8 people were released from prison, while 1,525 of those arrested have not yet been granted a precautionary measure.
He explained that the total number does not include those who were arrested and released or under arrest within a period of 48 hours.
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2024-08-28 03:02:27