Venezuelan Fisherman with Autism Dies โขAfter โคSix months’ Imprisonment
CARACASโ – Jonathan Rodrรญguez,โฃ a 30-year-old fishermanโ from Cepe, Aragua state, Venezuela, died November 21, 2025, following a battle with a severe lung infection.โค His death is being attributed to the conditions of his detention and a failingโค healthcare system, according toโค the Committee forโค the Freedom of Political prisoners.
Rodrรญguez was arrested July 29,โฃ 2025, the day after Venezuela’sโ presidential elections, byโ members of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB). Authorities accused him of being a “terrorist” โwithout providing evidence. He remained imprisoned for overโ six months,transferred between various facilities,before being released dueโข to โpressure from his family and human rights organizations.
Diagnosed with autism โขas a child, Rodrรญguez’s โขhealth considerably deterioratedโข during his imprisonmentโ due toโค a lack of medical care and inhumane conditions. Following his release, he was hospitalized withโ a lungโ infection that proved unresponsiveโ to treatment.
The Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners released a statement holding the Venezuelan State โคresponsible for Rodrรญguez’s death, assertingโ it โขexemplifies theโข consequences of “State โterrorism, the deteriorationโ ofโ human rights โฃand theโ collapse ofโ the health system in โคVenezuela.”
“Jonathan’s death is also the responsibility of State terrorism, the deterioration of humanโ rights and the collapse of the healthโข system in Venezuela,” theโฃ Committee stated.
The case adds to a growing number of reported deaths linked to arbitrary detentions and inadequate healthcare withinโ Venezuela’s political landscape.Wilmer Garcรญa, a young man with autism and kidney disease detained after post-election protests, recently died while in custody.
