Relatives of political prisoners mark 200 days of resistance, demand inclusion in dialogue

Relatives of political prisoners in Venezuela have marked 200 days of continuous protest, maintaining camps near the El Rodeo I penitentiary. They are demanding that the issue of political detainees be prioritized in the "parity technical and political table for political dialogue" between the government of Delcy Rodríguez and the opposition.

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Their fundamental rights have been violated once again.

The Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners (Clippve) highlighted that the recent earthquakes on June 24 have exacerbated the vulnerability of the prison population. They cited a lack of emergency protocols, isolation, insufficient medical assistance, and damage to prison infrastructure as critical threats to the inmates' well-being.

Andreína Baduel, whose brother Josnars Adolfo Baduel has been detained for over six years, told El Nacional that abuses against detainees have increased post-earthquake. "Their fundamental rights have been violated once again," she stated, emphasizing the need for the release of all political prisoners, asserting, "There can be no democracy without freedom and without political prisoners."

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There can be no democracy without freedom and without political prisoners.

Margareth Baduel echoed these concerns, urging the inclusion of humanitarian issues as a non-negotiable point in political discussions and warning of continued exposure to inhumane treatment. Hiowanka Ávila, sister of detainee Henryberth Rivas, supported the symbolic table, stating, "Our relatives have been deprived of their liberty for months, some for years. We have reported isolation, lack of medical attention, and prison conditions that put their lives and integrity at risk."

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Our relatives have been deprived of their liberty for months, some for years. We have reported isolation, lack of medical attention, and prison conditions that put their lives and integrity at risk.

In a statement, the families declared their vigil as an act of "love, memory, solidarity, peaceful resistance, and protection of life." They stressed that the earthquake tragedy deepened their shared pain and confirmed the urgency of protecting those entirely dependent on the state. They are calling for an independent and transparent technical evaluation of all potentially affected detention centers and immediate protection for the life, health, and integrity of all individuals in custody.

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Today we not only complete 200 days in vigil, but sustaining an act of love, memory, solidarity, peaceful resistance, and protection of life. The tragedy of the earthquakes deepened a shared pain and confirmed the urgency of protecting those who depend entirely on the State. Therefore, we demand an independent and transparent technical evaluation of all detention centers that may have been affected, as well as immediate protection of the life, health, and integrity of all persons remaining in their custody.