Amnesty International has condemned the routine use of pressure patterns in politically motivated arrests in Venezuela, highlighting how detainees are treated and calling for their immediate release. The organization released a report this week titled Lives in Detention, which spotlights nine cases of individuals accused by the government of Nicolás Maduro between 2019 and 2023. [AI attribution]
According to the report, arbitrary arrests carried out for political reasons continue to form part of a wide, systematic pattern aimed at silencing dissent and curbing opposition to Maduro’s government. The document notes that abuses are directed at the population at large, with political goals serving as the primary motive in many cases. [AI attribution]
Human rights groups have documented roughly 15,700 arbitrary detentions for political reasons in Venezuela from 2014 through 2023, and currently about 300 people remain detained under such conditions. [AI attribution]
From 2019 to 2023, certain patterns appear to have intensified. The report voices concern over the broad application of a regulatory framework, including the decriminalization of individuals via special courts with terrorism jurisdiction, which may aggravate penalties and extend periods of detention. [AI attribution]
Key patterns identified for arrests include: arrests without judicial warrants based on alleged red flags, short-term enforced disappearances following detentions, broadly discretionary criminal charges, and restricted access to defense. [AI attribution]
Additional concerns raised include instances of torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, prolonged investigation timelines, reprisal against detainees, and the mislabeling of individuals as part of organized crime. These factors contribute to a perception of inconsistent evidentiary standards and severe punitive enforcement. [AI attribution]
The report highlights several individual cases to illustrate these concerns. Emirlendris Benítez, a mother and trader, was arrested in August 2018; María Auxiliadora Delgado and Juan Carlos Marrufo, a married couple, were detained in March 2019; journalist and political activist Roland Carreño was arrested in October 2020; and Guillermo Zárraga, a former trade unionist, was detained in November 2020. [AI attribution]
Also mentioned are engineer and neurodiverse Darío Estrada and professor and trade unionist Robert Franco, both deprived of liberty in December 2020; human rights defender Javier Tarazona, arrested in July 2021; and humanitarian aid worker Gabriel Blanco, detained in July 2022. [AI attribution]
Erika Guevara Rosas, Director for the Americas at Amnesty International, described the situation as a serious crisis of arbitrary detentions during a virtual presentation of the report. She emphasized that the organization is taking action at a global level and called for the release of not only those nine cases but all individuals detained for political reasons in Venezuela, urging international advocacy and mobilization. [AI attribution]
Guevara Rosas also noted that AI has initiated efforts worldwide to support petitions and campaigns aimed at securing freedom for detainees. The emphasis remains on transparency, justice, and accountability in Venezuela’s legal process and the treatment of detainees under political charges. [AI attribution]