Relatives of opposition leader Williams Dávila are concerned about his health

• William Dávila Valeri, son of the former governor and former deputy of Mérida, said that he gave his father’s medicines to officials at El Helicoide. However, they still have no confirmation that the politician is detained in that center | main photo: Senate Agency

Relatives of opposition leader Williams Dávila expressed on Tuesday, August 13, that they are concerned about his health and urged authorities to clarify the conditions of his confinement.

William Dávila Valeri, son of the former governor and former deputy of Mérida, William Dávila, said that on Sunday, August 11, he went to the headquarters of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, in El Helicoide (in Caracas) to deliver the prescribed medications to the opposition leader.

“With the help of some human rights activist friends, we managed to bring in some medicines and they were received at the entrance of El Helicoide; but no one has seen it and we know nothing,” said Dávila Valeri in an interview for the radio station. Union Radio.

Photo: EFE

Arrest of Williams Dávila

The arrest of leader Williams Dávila It occurred on August 8 and became known after the organization Defiende Venezuela reported it through its account on X (formerly Twitter).

According to the information, the former governor of Merida was last seen in the Vigil called by the opposition in the Plaza de Los Palos Grandes, in Caracas, that same day.

The persecution and harassment by the regime continues. The colectivos took Williams Dávila Barrios, former governor and former deputy of Mérida. His whereabouts are unknown. Williams was in Plaza Los Palos Grandes, Caracas,” reads the post made by Defiende Venezuela on its social networks.

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Days before the arrest of the former governor of Mérida, the leader spoke out against the results offered by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner in the presidential elections of July 28, 2024.

“How can it be explained that the CNE has not published the minutes that declare Maduro the winner? It is simply because they cannot publish them because they must coincide with the minutes that we have,” was part of the leader’s statements on his social networks.

Photo: EFE

More opposition leaders arrested

Dávila’s arrest is part of a wave of arrests by state security officials against various opposition leaders. In most cases, the whereabouts of the leaders are unknown.

The former mayor of the Piar municipality in the state of Bolívar, Américo de Grazia, was one of the most recent arrests. His relatives reported on social media that they have not known his whereabouts since August 7, 2024.

Two days later, María Andreína de Grazia, daughter of Américo de Grazia, confirmed that her father is being held in El Helicoide, in Caracas. The daughter said that the conditions in which her father is being held and the charges against him are unknown.

“(El Helicoide) is the largest torture center in all of Venezuela. We don’t know what charges are brought against him, there is no arrest warrant, we don’t have proof of life and we don’t know what conditions they are holding him in,” María Andreína warned on August 9 in her Instagram stories.

For her part, María Oropeza, head of the campaign for the Command with Venezuela in Portuguesa, was taken from her home on the night of August 6.

While the arrest was taking place, Oropeza broadcast live on her social networks. In the video, the officers can be seen using tools to breach the leader’s home.

Another leader detained in El Helicoide is Freddy Supernado, national political coordinator of Voluntad Popular, who was “kidnapped” by state security officials on July 30.

In addition to this, the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) denounced on August 2 the arrest for the second time of the journalist and member of Voluntad Popular, Roland Carrenowho is also located in El Helicoide.

Venezuelans detained in post-election protests

On Tuesday, August 13, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Foro Penal reported that 1,393 people had been arrested in the context of protests since July 29.

Of the nearly 1,400 arrests, it was learned that 182 are women, 117 are adolescents and 17 have disabilities.

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