For one year and four months, Priscila Malpica He fights so that his son, Luis Armando Táriba Malpica, stays alive in prison. He was arrested on September 17, 2024 at his workplace, in Valencia, after an anonymous complaint that pointed him out for wearing camouflage clothing.
Since then, his family has faced criminal proceedings that, according to his mother, It has no proof or logic. The young man, a 29-year-old graphic designer, was charged with terrorism, treason, criminal association and conspiracy with a foreign government, published The Carabobeño.
Priscilla insists that Your son did not commit any of those crimes. and pointed out that he is not a politician, he does not vote, he does not speak English and he does not have a passport. In addition, he suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and has a heart condition that even prevented him from entering the Army, his youthful aspiration.
The complaint that led to his arrest came from a woman who supposedly said she felt nervous because she frequently saw an “American military man.” The basis of this suspicion was the camouflage clothing that Luis Táriba usually wore, bought in stores and among informal sellers, and a small accessory with a United States flag.
“You have to be very stupid to not distinguishing between peddlers’ clothing and a military uniform,” his mother told the regional media.
After his arrest, the young man passed through several police and intelligence headquarters. He was in the Sebin of Naguanagua, then they transferred him to El Helicoide and later to the PNB of La Yaguara, after fainting during a hearing due to stress and his heart condition.
In August 2025 They sent him to Tocuyito prison, where it remains.
He sells candy to send packages to his son
Meanwhile, outside, Priscila’s life changed completely. He lost his job due to constant trips to Caracas to seek answers in the courts, prosecutor’s offices and public defender’s offices that he visited.
He never managed to meet with Attorney General Tarek William Saab. She was promised medical exams for her son in April 2025 and, to date, they have not been performed.
Without a fixed income, Priscila went from offering rehabilitation therapies to sell bracelets and candy on the street. He walks for hours through shopping centers, parks and fairs to gather what he needs and send packages to his son.
“That day they took him away, “I lost my own life,” express.
Luis Táriba has tried to take his own life on two occasions and the depression caused by the separation from her three-year-old daughter deepens. The girl, according to her grandmother, has emotional problems. His wife is now hypertensive.
No evidence against him
At the preliminary hearing, held in December 2024, it was recognized that There was no evidence against him. Even so, his release was not requested.
Furthermore, the young man was included in a file along with other detainees he met in prison, without the family being clear about that connection.
Priscila continues to travel to Caracas when she can. Less and less, due to lack of money.
“Leaving him there, knowing he did nothing wrong, “It’s what hurts the most,” he stated.
“He is a calm boy. His daughter needs him,” he added.
