(Caracas) Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Monday denounced 37 “arbitrary detentions” of political activists ahead of the July 28 presidential election.
“What we are experiencing right now in Venezuela is a regime that criminalizes political activity and electoral campaigning. Since the beginning of the year, 37 political activists or civil society representatives have been detained by the tyranny,” Machado said at a press conference.
Ten of the 37 people arrested are members of the opposition’s campaign leadership and six others are “under protection at the Argentine embassy,” she stressed, revealing the names of her 16 collaborators.
The 54-year-old leader said two of them were arrested Monday during a lunch near the opposition campaign headquarters in Caracas and were “taken to El Helicoide,” the Venezuelan intelligence prison. which human rights organizations denounce as a “torture center”.
According to Ms. Machado, they are “accused of incitement to hatred and criminal association for the simple fact of having accompanied our candidate Edmundo Gonzalez to a political rally.”
The opposition denounces a “political persecution” of its leaders and activists as well as the administrative closures and fines imposed on traders, hotels or restaurants who provided logistical support to the field campaign led by Ms. Machado.
The Venezuelan government has made no comment on the arrests and accuses the opposition of fomenting alleged plots against Mr. Maduro, whose appearances have increased on state television in the run-up to the elections.
The NGO Foro Penal reported on June 13 that there were 278 “political prisoners” in Venezuela.
