Venezuela released prominent human rights advocate Carlos Correa from detention | News about Nicolas Maduro
The freedom of speech advocate was among several activists detained ahead of last week’s swearing in of President Nicolas Maduro.
Authorities in Venezuela have released a prominent human rights advocate from detention, just days after President Nicolas Maduro sworn in for a third term in the midst of crushing opposition voices and opposition leaders.
Carlos Correa, the director of the Venezuelan non-profit organization Espacio Publico, was freed in the early hours of Thursday, his organization said in a social media post.
A respected university professor and authority on free speech in Venezuela, Correa was among several opposition figures and civil society activists arrested before Maduro’s inauguration last friday
Human rights group Amnesty International said last week that “hooded individuals” arbitrarily detained Correa on January 7 in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
In a statement released the next day, the group demanded the release of Correa and other detained Venezuelans defenders of human rightsaccusing Maduro’s government of conducting a campaign of “politically motivated” detentions.
“We demand that Nicolas Maduro secure their immediate and unconditional release and, while in state custody, protect their lives and safety, the right not to be subjected to torture and guarantee a fair trial,” Amnesty International said.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk also called for Correa’s release.
We demand the freedom of Carlos Correa and all human rights defenders in Venezuela. https://t.co/gLRg95LNyP pic.twitter.com/RMsueuMUzT
— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) January 15, 2025
Maduro was sworn in for a third term on January 10, a few months after Venezuelan election authorities announced he had won disputed elections in July.
But the country’s opposition claims that its presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, has defeated Maduro.
Opposition leaders accused the government — which did not release a detailed analysis of the votes — of election theft in favor of Maduro.
But the long-serving president, who came to power after the death of Venezuelan leftist leader Hugo Chavez in 2013, struck a defiant tone.
“Let this new presidential term be a period of peace, prosperity, equality and a new democracy,” Maduro said during the swearing-in ceremony, pledging to respect the country’s laws.
“I swear on history, on my life, and I will fulfill it [my mandate].”
The inauguration came a day after another opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, was briefly detained after making a rare public appearance to lead a protest against Maduro’s continued rule.
#Venezuela: UN human rights chief @volker_turk deeply concerned by further reports of arbitrary detention and intimidation, including of human rights defender Carlos Correa and members of the opposition and their relatives.
Now is the time to work on easing the tension and reducing the risk of… pic.twitter.com/Zc1MPoQcNK
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 9, 2025
According to Espacio Publico, an organization run by Correa, more than 400 newspapers, radio stations and TV channels have been closed in the past two decades in Venezuela, in a crackdown that began under Chavez and intensified under Maduro.
On Wednesday, Correa’s wife said her husband was brought before an anti-terrorism court last week, but she had no information about the charges against him or where he was being held.
Human rights groups and press freedom organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomed the news of Correa’s release.
“Director [Espacio Publico] he should not have spent a single day in detention,” RSF said post on social media platform X.
