They denounced the arrest of the leader Williams Dávila

• The former governor of Mérida was last seen in the Plaza de Los Palos Grandes, in Caracas | Main photo: EFE

The Defend Venezuela organization denounced the arrest of leader Williams Dávila Barrios on Thursday, August 8, 2024.

According to the information, the former governor of Mérida was last seen at the vigil called by the opposition for this Thursday in the Plaza de Los Palos Grandes, in Caracas.

“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 X account (formerly Twitter).

Photo: courtesy

Dávila criticized the results of the CNE

On August 3, Williams Dávila spoke out against the announcement by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the elections on Sunday, 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.

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The former member of the National Assembly also insisted on the “resounding victory” of Edmundo González Urrutia as president-elect for the period 2025-2031.

Six days after issuing this statement and today after participating in the vigil in Los Palos Grandes, where the end of the persecution and the release of all political prisoners was requested, the arrest of the former governor of Mérida, Williams Dávila, is being denounced. pic.twitter.com/dDayMNPkXM

— Yulimar F. 🇻🇪 (@Divergentevzl) August 9, 2024

Opposition leaders arrested

The arrest of Williams Dávila is one of dozens of arrests of opposition leaders by state security forces. The whereabouts of most of them are unknown.

One of the most recent complaints was the disappearance of Americo De Graziaformer mayor of the Piar municipality in the state of Bolívar, after his relatives alerted on August 7 that they did not know his whereabouts.

“My father has been missing for 24 hours, we have no news of him, we do not know his whereabouts, we do not know his physical integrity. We are asking the relevant authorities for answers,” said María De Grazia, the politician’s daughter, through her Instagram account.

María De Grazia detailed on her social networks that after the presidential elections on July 28, her father was persecuted and harassed by supporters of the ruling party.

Added to this, state security officials Maria Oropeza was arrested, Head of the campaign of the Command with Venezuela in the state of Portuguesa, during the night of August 6.

Oropeza managed to broadcast live the moment in which the agents entered her home and arrested her. In the video, the officers can be seen using tools to breach the leader’s home.

Another recent case was the arrest of Freddy Superlano, national political coordinator of Voluntad Popular, who was “kidnapped” by police officers in Caracas.

Regarding Superlano’s arrest, the Attorney General of the Republic, Tarek William Saab, assured on August 1 that the leader is “in good health,” however, he did not offer details of where he is being held.

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