DistantNews
Machado thanks OAS for call on release of political prisoners in Venezuela
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Machado thanks OAS for call on release of political prisoners in Venezuela

From ABC Color · (44m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado thanked the OAS Secretary General for calling for the release of political prisoners.
  • Machado stated that dismantling repression is essential for a genuine transition to democracy in Venezuela.
  • The OAS and CIDH have urged Venezuelan authorities to unconditionally release all those detained for political reasons.

The international community's attention is once again focused on Venezuela, with the Organization of American States (OAS) joining the chorus calling for the release of political prisoners. Opposition leader María Corina Machado expressed her gratitude for OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin's appeal, emphasizing that the "dismantling of repression is indispensable for achieving a genuine transition to democracy and freedom in Venezuela."

The dismantling of repression is indispensable for achieving a genuine transition to democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

— María Corina MachadoVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on the necessity of ending repression for democratic transition.

Machado's statement, amplified through her social media, underscores the dire situation faced by those arbitrarily detained. She asserted that the "more than 500 political prisoners, civilians and military, held behind bars by the regime must be liberated, and full freedom, without restrictions, must be guaranteed for every Venezuelan kidnapped for political reasons."

The more than 500 political prisoners, civilians and military, held behind bars by the regime must be liberated, and full freedom, without restrictions, must be guaranteed for every Venezuelan kidnapped for political reasons.

— María Corina MachadoVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado demanding the release of all political prisoners.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) echoed these sentiments, denouncing the political detentions in Venezuela before the OAS Permanent Council. CIDH Executive Secretary Tania Reneaum declared that "democracy is not an ornament of the inter-American system; it is its condition of possibility, and the arbitrary deprivation of liberty for political reasons is one of the most serious expressions of the collapse of the rule of law in Venezuela."

Democracy is not an ornament of the inter-American system; it is its condition of possibility, and the arbitrary deprivation of liberty for political reasons is one of the most serious expressions of the collapse of the rule of law in Venezuela.

— Tania ReneaumCIDH Executive Secretary Tania Reneaum addressing the OAS Permanent Council on the situation in Venezuela.

OAS Secretary General Ramdin further urged Venezuelan authorities to expedite the unconditional release of all individuals detained for political reasons, stating that "anyone detained for their political positions and opinions represents an obstacle to the very stability and progress that the region needs." This unified stance from regional bodies highlights the persistent concerns regarding human rights and democratic principles in Venezuela, a situation that continues to draw international scrutiny.

Anyone detained for their political positions and opinions represents an obstacle to the very stability and progress that the region needs.

— Albert RamdinOAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin urging Venezuela to release political detainees.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog