NGO records 71 ​​arrests during Venezuelan election campaign

• The NGO also mentions cases of the withholding of property from people related to opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. Photo: José Daniel Ramos

The non-governmental organization (NGO) Laboratorio de Paz recorded a total of 71 people “arbitrarily” detained during the first 10 days of the electoral campaign ahead of the July 28 presidential elections in Venezuela.

According to the NGO’s report, 66 men and 5 women were arrested between July 4 and 14, most of them in Táchira state.

Of the total, 48 of the people arrested were linked to the provision of goods and services for the campaign of the candidate of the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), Edmundo González Urrutia, accompanied at campaign events by the leader María Corina Machado.

The NGO, which also collects data from other organisations such as Foro Penal, Fundehullan and Espacio Público, recorded 26 cases of harassment, at least 11 roadblocks to prevent events from taking place, 21 cases of reprisals for providing goods and services to candidates and 13 cases of asset retention.

He Peace Laboratory balance sheet It also mentions that there were 20 cases of violations of freedom of expression and information and four website blocks during the first 10 days of the campaign, which will end on July 25, as established by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

Photo: Jose Daniel Ramos

New arrests reported during electoral campaign in Venezuela

On July 14, Perkins Rocha, legal advisor to González Urrutia’s team, denounced the arrest of eight people – six men and two women – linked to the candidate’s campaign by security forces.

Among the cases, the lawyer pointed out that in the state of Carabobo, the owner of the truck in which González Urrutia traveled with Machado during a caravan held on July 13 was arrested, as well as two of his collaborators.

The EFE news agency confirmed the deployment of dozens of Valencia municipal police officers who closed off several roads in the city, including an avenue close to the one the opposition leaders had walked down, which was blocked by four official police vans.

Access to Justice Data

The NGO Access to Justice reported on June 28 that 46 people linked to the presidential elections on July 28 had been arrested so far this yearall related to the campaign of candidate González Urrutia.

Photo: Jose Daniel Ramos

In an infographic, the NGO counted the cases of “arbitrary arrests,” disqualifications of opponents and other events that they consider to be part of the “political persecution” once morest the candidacy of the PUD, the largest opposition alliance.

“In the first six months, political persecution has been the rule, especially in the context of the tours of opposition leader María Corina Machado and the candidate” of the PUD, the organization said.

Of those arrested, 18 are members of the Vente Venezuela party, led by Machado, and the rest belong to other opposition organizations or sympathize with González Urrutia’s candidacy.

The record also includes the closure or inspection of 16 establishments (hotels and restaurants) that provided service to Machado or his team, during his tour of 10 of the country’s 23 states.

The report also added that the National Guard seized two rudimentary boats for the same reasons and seven road closures were recorded in an attempt to prevent Machado and González Urrutia from holding events planned in seven regions of Venezuela.

With information from EFE.

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