Venezuelan opposition candidate denounces arrest of three political leaders

The candidate of the opposition coalition in Venezuela, Edmundo González, denounced during a conversation with young people that three political leaders were detained “arbitrarily” and their whereabouts are unknown.

González referred to Juan Iriarte, coordinator of the Vente Venezuela organization, Jeancarlos Rivas, youth manager of the Voluntad Popular party and Luis López, journalist and member of a political center, who he said “are detained for having accompanied us at the Maiquetía event.” , on the outskirts of Caracas, next to the Caribbean.

The candidate asserted that attempts have been made to locate them and find out where they are, but “the security forces assume responsibility and it is not known at this time where and how they are.”

González hoped for his early release and stated that his detention is “unjust and arbitrary.”

The Venezuelan authorities have not commented on this complaint.

The presidential candidate of the opposition unit made the statements at a meeting with young people from a political studies institute to which he attended together with Maria Corina Machadothe former legislator who won the primary elections and whom she had to replace due to a disqualification that prevents her from participating in the July 28 elections.

Machado told the media that they are making the respective complaints to international organizations because they consider the arrests as “forced disappearances.”

The Popular Will party, which reported the disappearance of 19-year-old Rivas on Saturday on the social network Friday in a square in La Guaria.

Later, López released another video in which he said he knew that his son would be presented before a court of justice and control and asked that he be granted “the right to defend himself,” although he did not clarify if he knew the charge that would be brought against him. nor did he specify other details.

The National Human Rights Observatory joined the complaint on the same network.

The National College of Journalists also broadcast a message in X stating that López had covered Rivas’s arrest on Friday afternoon, after which he could not be located.

According to non-governmental organizations, more than a dozen leaders of the opposition political party Vente Venezuela have been arrested accused of being part of conspiratorial plots and violent acts, while six opponents remain refugees in the Argentine embassy in Caracas awaiting a safe passage that allows them to leave the country.

The Penal Forum, a non-governmental organization for the defense of human rights and legal assistance, has denounced a series of arrests in the South American country. As of June 10, the organization registers 278 political prisoners, among whom 25 are women, 148 are military prisoners and 133 have not been declared guilty.

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