## Maduro Moves too Strip Opposition Leader Leopoldo López of Venezuelan Nationality
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is taking steps to revoke the nationality of prominent opposition figure Leopoldo López, a move widely condemned as unconstitutional. The action comes amidst increasing repression of dissent, mirroring tactics employed by the Nicaraguan government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo against its opponents.
López will be the first leading Venezuelan opposition member to be stripped of citizenship under the recently approved Simón Bolívar Law, which criminalizes support for international sanctions against the Venezuelan government, labeling it “betrayal of the country.”
The move follows an interview where López openly advocated for a military intervention by the United States against the “criminal structure” governing Venezuela, a reference to the Chavista government. He stated, “20 years of political and diplomatic negotiations have not produced results” in restoring democracy, and asserted that “the majority of the Venezuelan military is not going to go out and immolate themselves to protect the dictatorship, among other things because they suffer its consequences.”
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez justified Maduro’s action, citing López’s “grotesque, criminal and illegal call for military aggression against venezuela, the permanent promotion of the economic blockade of the country and the call to mass murder Venezuelans in complicity with foreign governments.”
López is a controversial figure within the Venezuelan opposition, known for his assertive stance. While popular with some, his approach has drawn criticism from more moderate factions within the opposition, some of whom have publicly accused him of damaging their cause.
A long-time advocate for international sanctions against the Maduro regime, López was among the first opposition leaders to be politically disqualified. He was also an early voice denouncing the escalating humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. he was imprisoned from 2014 to 2019 on charges of inciting public protests and conspiring against the government, accusations he denied.
Following a pardon granting him house arrest in 2019, López participated in a failed attempt to overthrow Maduro alongside Juan Guaidó, following the contested 2018 presidential elections. This attempt, on April 30th, drew criticism from some colleagues and solidified his status as a key target for the Chavista government. Shortly thereafter,López sought asylum at the Spanish embassy and later left the country clandestinely.
