The Venezuelan women’s movement explained that there is a political and media discredit campaign against the representative and first lady Cilia Flores, who remains illegally detained with President Nicolás Maduro in the United States, they demanded her immediate release, as well as respect for her political rights and legal guarantees.
In an interview granted exclusively to Alma Plus TV, the leader of the Venezuelan women’s movement and deputy to the National Assembly, Asia Villegas, warned that Flores’ case transcends the personal level and is part of a dispute of an institutional, legal and communicational nature.
Parliamentary immunity and international law
Villegas explained that Cilia Flores is an elected representative of the National Assembly, a condition that confers parliamentary immunity, recognized in international law. It pointed out that its illegal retention violates principles established in instruments such as the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW).
He indicated that the case opens a debate on respect for the legal guarantees of elected representatives and on the use of coercive measures in contexts of high political and diplomatic tension.
The women’s movement as a political actor
During the exclusive interview, Villegas stated that since the end of January women’s organizations have held mobilizations, forums and denunciation actions in different cities of Venezuela., as well as efforts before international spaces, with the aim of making the case visible and demanding the release of Flores.
She added that women’s networks and social organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean have expressed their support through public statements and solidarity actions.
Villegas pointed out that the figure of Cilia Flores acquires relevance not only because of her relationship with the head of state, but also because of her own political career, which includes her presidency of the National Assembly and her participation in the transformation of the Venezuelan legal framework in the last two decades within Venezuelan politics.
Gender violence
For the women’s movement, the public treatment of the case reflects historical patterns of delegitimization of women in positions of power, especially in contexts of political confrontation. Villegas maintained that the media approach and the language used on social networks against the first lady of Venezuela constitute forms of symbolic violence aimed at eroding the political legitimacy of women.
The Venezuelan Women’s Movement reiterated that they will maintain national and international denunciation and articulation actions as long as the retention persists and the political rights of the deputy are not fully guaranteed.
