These are the 12 Colombians detained in Venezuela by the Maduro regime

Following the protests unleashed in Venezuela by the controversial presidential elections of July 28, the Nicolás Maduro regime carried out arbitrary arrests; Among them, 12 Colombians are being held.

According to information collected by Blu Radio, sources close to the Chancellery confirmed the identity of the 12 Colombians detained in Venezuela. It is about:

1. Manuel Alejandro Tique Chaves
2. Arlei Danilo Espitia Lara
3. David Josué Misse Durán
4. Edwin Iván Colmenares García
5. Carlos Alberto Cañas Carreño
6. Martín Emilio Rincón Quitián
7. Kevin José Saavedra Basallo
8. Danner Gonzalo Barajas Luque
9. Leidy Jimena Méndez Lucema
10. Brayan Sair Navarro Cáceres
11. Dionel Lopez
12. Juan Zuniga

The Colombian Government is making the necessary arrangements through the Colombian ambassador to Venezuela, Milton Rengifo, seeking for the Maduro regime to release its compatriots.

President Gustavo Petro celebrated the release of Colombian activist Carlos Correa, director of the Venezuelan human rights NGO Espacio Pública, and took the opportunity to ask that the Maduro regime release all those detained for the elections, including twelve Colombians.

“When the truce enters Hamas and Israel talks about the release of hundreds of hostages from both sides; “When Cuba has released more than 500 prisoners, it is important for peace in the Americas that Venezuela releases all people detained in the framework of the elections and the post-elections, including the 12 Colombians detained in its territory,” the president wrote. Colombian on your X account.

And he added: “May the Americas be a land of freedom without political prisoners.”

The NGO Espacio Público reported last Tuesday the “disappearance” of Correa, the same day as the arrest of seven opposition politicians, including former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez, as well as the “kidnapping” of Rafael Tudares, son-in-law of Correa. opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who described the event as such.

This arrest provoked one of the Colombian president’s most blunt reactions to Venezuela: “Just like our friend Enrique Márquez, a prominent Venezuelan progressive, Carlos Correa, a prominent defender of human rights in Venezuela, has been arrested. This, and other events, prevents my attendance. personnel to the act of possession of Nicolás Maduro
“, Petro then said.

In a long message on X, he reiterated the Colombia’s position in the face of the crisis in Venezuela, in which he has tried to mediate, but has never recognized anyone’s victory at the polls, claiming that “the last elections in Venezuela were not free. There are no free elections under blockades.”

“Colombia will not break diplomatic relations with Venezuela, nor will it intervene in the internal affairs of that country, without invitation,” said the Colombian president, but reiterated: “We cannot recognize the elections that were not free and we hope that these can be held soon without blockages or internal intimidation.”