Protesters in Caracas demand justice for mother and son who died after son's death in state custody

Residents of Caricuao in Caracas gathered at Plaza El Indio to demand justice for Carmen Navas and her son, Víctor Quero, whose death occurred while in the custody of Venezuelan state authorities. Carlos Julio Rojas, coordinator of the North Front of Caracas, described the protest as a "citizen duty to honor Carmen Navas and Víctor Quero." He recounted that the elder Navas spent months petitioning prisons and courts until authorities, including acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, finally acknowledged her son's death in July 2025. Many Venezuelans believe this devastating news directly led to her own death days later. Rojas further characterized the protest as an act of memory and resistance, equating Navas and Quero to "martyrs of democracy" alongside figures like Bassil Da Costa, Carlos Moreno, and Fernando Albán. The commemoration was attended by family members, including Navas's grandsons Sebastián and Samuel Quero, who reiterated their call for justice and expressed gratitude for the support from neighborhood organizations like the Green Network and the North Front. Sebastián Quero urged the continuation of the struggle for truth and reparations for the victims. Community leaders, such as Gladys Matos, denounced the state's "lack of humanity" in allegedly concealing Víctor's death for months, plunging his mother into unbearable anguish. "We call to continue the struggle we have developed so that we achieve justice for my grandmother and uncle, we thank organizations like the Green Network and the North Front from the bottom of our hearts, but especially our neighbors who showed up," expressed Sebastián. Matos added, "When they finally gave her the sad news of Víctor's death, her soul could not bear so much pain and she died days later. That is why we, her neighbors, are here demanding justice; the united community is dismayed and submerged in rage and pain."

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a citizen duty to honor Carmen Navas and Víctor Quero