Venezuela: Observatory reports alleged third death of detainee after elections

The Venezuelan Prison Observatory reported the death of Osgual Alexander González Pérez, who, according to the organization, was detained during protests following the July presidential elections.

According to the organization, González is the third person to die in the custody of Venezuelan authorities, amid reports of arbitrary arrests and poor prison conditions. The organization added that he would be second in less than 72 hours.

Also according to the Observatory, the man was arrested on August 1st along with his 19-year-old son in the state of Lara. Both were reportedly taken to the Tocuyito Judicial Retention Center, in the state of Carabobo.

González, who according to the Observatory died on Sunday (15), had health problems in prison. According to family members cited by the entity, he received “late” medical care. Until Monday (16), the cause of González’s death was unknown.

His son remains in detention, the organization noted.

The Venezuelan Public Ministry did not respond to the request CNN to comment on the case.

The Observatory also reported that on December 12, another detainee in the protests died in the same prison: Jesús Rafael Álvarez.

“Taking into account these last two deaths recorded in the Tocuyito prison, we request that this prison receive intervention and that the Public Ministry and the competent bodies begin an immediate, exhaustive and impartial criminal investigation”, highlighted the entity in a publication in X.

Death of detainee in Venezuela

Previously, the opposition had denounced the death of Jesús Manuel Martínez Medina, a member of the Vente Venezuela opposition movement and a witness in the July 28 elections, arrested on August 2 and accused of having participated in violent events during the post-election protests.

In this case, the Public Ministry confirmed the death and said that the man was hospitalized due to health problems.

Venezuela announces release of prisoners

Also on Monday, the Venezuelan Public Ministry announced the release of 179 people detained after the protests, bringing the total number of releases related to the post-election demonstrations to 533, according to a statement from the institution.

The number contrasts with the 155 that the Foro Penal organization had registered until December 14th.

Understand the crisis in Venezuela

The Venezuelan opposition and the majority of the international community do not recognize the official results of the July 28 presidential elections, announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela, which give victory to Nicolás Maduro with more than 50% of the votes.

The CNE results were never corroborated with the release of electoral records that detail the number of votes per polling table.

The opposition, in turn, published the minutes that it says it received from its party inspectors and that would give victory by almost 70% of the votes to former diplomat Edmundo González, an ally of María Corina Machado, the opposition leader who was prevented from speaking. apply.

Chavismo claims that 80% of the documents released by the opposition are falsified. Maduro’s allies, however, do not show any electoral records.

The Venezuelan Public Ministry, in turn, initiated an investigation against González for publishing the minutes, alleging usurpation of electoral power functions.

The opponent was summoned three times to give testimony about the publication of the minutes and ended up taking refuge in Spain at the beginning of September, after having an arrest warrant issued against him.

Several opponents have been arrested since the beginning of the electoral process in Venezuela. Only after the July 28 election, at least 2,400 people were arrested and 24 died, according to human rights organizations.

“Dictatorships are useless and end badly”, says Pope about Venezuela

This content was originally published in Venezuela: Observatory reports alleged third death of detainee after elections on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil