Venezuela Opposition Reports Rising Number of Disappearances, Raising Human Rights Concerns
CARACAS – Venezuelan opposition groups are sounding the alarm over a recent surge in reported disappearances and arbitrary detentions, accusing the Nicolás Maduro government of escalating its crackdown on dissent. The reports come amid growing international scrutiny of human rights conditions in the South American nation.
On Saturday, the Human Rights Committee of the Vente Venezuela (VV) party, led by prominent opposition figure María Corina machado, denounced the arrest of two of its collaborators, elizabeth Rodríguez and Juan Torres, in the Trujillo state last Wednesday. According to VV, the pair were apprehended while on their way to work. Their current whereabouts remain unknown, sparking fears for their safety.
“elizabeth is hypertensive and Juan is diabetic, requiring consistent medical treatment,” the committee stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter), demanding their “immediate freedom.”
Adding to the growing concerns, the Popular Will (VP) party also reported the disappearance of Macario González, a member of its national leadership, last Friday. VP stated on X that there has been “no official details” regarding González’s location or the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, and called for respect for his ”physical and moral integrity.” González is 73 years old.
these incidents are occurring against a backdrop of increased pressure on opposition leaders. Both Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia,another key opposition figure,are currently facing threats – Machado is reportedly in hiding,while González Urrutia is in exile. VP alleges that the “persecution” of those “fighting for a free Venezuela” is intensifying.
The reports align with findings from Venezuelan human rights organizations. Last month, the NGO Prova denounced a “rise in cases of arbitrarily detained persons” subjected to prolonged periods of incommunicado detention, leaving families, lawyers, and organizations unaware of their fate or conditions of imprisonment. Prova has called for accountability and “exemplary sanctions” for those responsible.
According to the Criminal Forum organization, there are currently 82