Maduro regime releases Carlos Correa, director of an NGO, after nine days of detention

The director of the Venezuelan human rights NGO Espacio Público, Carlos Correawho was arrested on January 7, was released early this Thursday, said organization reported in a message from X.

“We thank all the people, organizations, governments and groups that joined the voice for liberation,” says the message in which the NGO states that it continues with “the work for the defense of human dignity.”

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The release, of which no further details are given, came hours after Mabel Calderínwife of the director of Espacio Público, will report that they had known that her husband was brought before a court with jurisdiction in terrorism, but not what crimes he is accused of.

“Today we were received by the 52nd national prosecutor for economic crimes, Alirio Mendoza, who told us that the information he could offer was timely and who explained to us that Carlos was arrested on January 7, in fact, and was presented on January 9 with defense counsel. public,” Calderín explained in a video published by Espacio Público in X.

He pointed out that, according to the prosecutor’s information, Correa was presented before a court with jurisdiction over terrorism but that, he added, he could not explain “what charges were being brought against him.”

Calderín indicated that they went again to the headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin), known as Helicoide, where they were denied that the activist was detained there.

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The NGO Public Space reported Correa’s “disappearance” last Tuesday, 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 opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who described thus the fact.

Various opposition parties, political and social activists, non-governmental organizations, universities and international organizations have spoken out in the last week in favor of Correa, who stands out for his career in defense of human rights.

Petro celebrates Correa’s freedom

Colombian President Gustavo Petro celebrated the release of Colombian activist Carlos Correa, and took the opportunity to ask that Venezuela release all those detained for the elections, including twelve Colombians.

“When the truce between Hamas and Israel speaks of the release of hundreds of hostages on both sides; when Cuba has freed more than 500 prisoners, it is important for peace in the Americas that Venezuela releases all the people detained in the framework of the elections and the post-elections, including the 12 Colombians detained in their territory,” the Colombian president wrote on his X account.

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

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

In a long message on 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. nor internal intimidation”.

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