Students from the School of Law Central University of Venezuela (UCV) They demanded this Tuesday the total release of the country’s political prisoners and announced that they will present a letter of protest to the office of the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, to accelerate the releases.
The protest was led by representatives of the Student Center who pointed out that the situation of the detainees is an example of the failure of the rule of law in Venezuela. For them, the way out of this crisis involves full freedom for all prisoners for political reasons and not for partial or dropper releasesin the midst of a process that has advanced more slowly than expected.
Jesús Leopoldo, president of the student organization, expressed the feelings of his colleagues by holding Rodríguez directly responsible for the pending commitments.
“Today we want to express the feeling that we have from our community of a failed rule of law. Dr. Jorge Rodríguez Gómez assumed a commitment to Venezuela of the release of political prisoners and to date only 170 have been announced according to figures from the NGO Foro Penal and really to achieve a transition to a democratic and peaceful Venezuela, we need there to be a complete release,” he stated.
Various human rights organizations and relatives of detainees have also pointed out that the number of verified releases is reduced compared to the total number of political prisoners who still remain deprived of liberty in the country.
Carlos Soto, communications secretary of the Law Student Center, called for respecting the rights enshrined in the national Constitution and highlighted the role of family members who have tirelessly demanded the freedom of their loved ones.
“The strong man does not provide the solutions; the solution is democracy, dignity, guarantees and the right. The release of political prisoners is not an isolated event, it is the tireless irrefutable work of the family members and the Venezuelans who ask, who demand a better Venezuela and better rights, but above all the guarantee of those that are in the constitution,” said Soto.
They demand justice for deaths in state custody
The students remembered those who have died while in state custody, noting that their deaths cannot be forgotten. In this context, they mentioned cases such as that of Edison Torres and the former governor of Nueva Esparta, Alfredo Díaz, who in his opinion also fought for a more just country.
“Weeks ago we saw how the relatives of political prisoners hugged those who were in captivity in the process of reunion, but in that process in which some hug, there are others who cry, as is the case of one of the prisoners who died, Edinson Torres, and as months ago, who was governor of Nueva Esparta, Alfredo Díaz; they are people who do not deserve to be forgotten because they also fought for a dignified and different Venezuela,” said Soto.
With information from a press release.
