The United States criticized the detention of opposition leaders by the Chavista regime: “It is a violation of the Barbados Agreement”

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The United States has expressed concern over the recent detainment of opposition leaders by the Chavismo regime in Venezuela, accusing President Nicolás Maduro of violating the Barbados Agreement. Joe Biden’s manager for the region, Brian Nichols, specifically called for the release of human rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel, who has been in custody for over a month.

In a statement, Nichols condemned the actions of the Maduro regime, stating that they are clear violations of the Barbados Agreement. He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of San Miguel, as well as all other Venezuelans who are unjustly detained.

Just yesterday, Víctor Venegas, a collaborator of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was released after two months in detention. Venegas, the political secretary of Machado’s formation in the state of Barinas, had been accused of activities against the peace of the republic.

The Vente Venezuela Human Rights Committee celebrated Venegas’ release but also called for the freedom of Luis Camacaro, Juan Freites, Guillermo López, and Emill Brandt, who are still detained. They continue to demand the release of all political prisoners in Venezuela.

Meanwhile, several NGOs have also called for the release of Venezuelan activist Rocío San Miguel, who remains detained and has not been able to appoint lawyers. The director of Access to Justice, Alí ​​Daniels, stated that San Miguel’s right to the presumption of innocence has been violated through a media campaign against her.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab accused San Miguel of providing information about military defense systems to foreign entities, leading to her arrest. However, over 200 organizations and 415 members of Venezuelan civil society have rejected her detention as arbitrary.

The situation in Venezuela remains tense as the government continues to crackdown on political opponents in the lead-up to the upcoming presidential elections. International pressure is mounting on the Maduro regime to respect human rights and release those unjustly detained.