The Venezuelan democratic opposition maintains its presence on the streets worldwide with two clear objectives: to pressure the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Nicolás Maduro and for leader Edmundo González to be able to take office on January 10.
For these reasons, Venezuelan exiles in Madrid have gathered this Sunday morning in front of the European Parliament office. "We request the International Criminal Court and countries that can call upon the Court to expedite decision-making in the case of Venezuela," explains José Antonio Vega, Coordinator of Vente Venezuela and the Command with Venezuela in Spain, in reference to the decision that prosecutor Karim Khan must make against the Chavista leader. This week is crucial because there will be a meeting in The Hague of the states that are part of the ICC, Vega emphasizes, hence "we want to demand justice, to expedite the process because it is essential, silence and neutrality are enemies of all those who are currently waiting for the prison cells in Venezuela to be opened." Prisons that, according to the NGO Foro Penal, hold 1,903 political prisoners. The Court's decision "would have a very significant deterrent power for those perpetrating these crimes in Venezuela, which could increase internal pressure among Venezuelans," continues the Coordinator of Vente Venezuela, with an eye on the inauguration on January 10.
Recently, this same international body issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and the Hamas leader.
The location of the concentration in the capital was chosen because "there are agreements that the European Union has signed with the International Criminal Court dated 2011 and 2006 that are binding, and we hope they will be reactivated," adds Antonio Ledezma, former metropolitan mayor of Caracas exiled in Madrid, who has detailed the evidence already gathered against the Maduro regime. "He continues to commit crimes against humanity and has intensified post-electoral political persecution," Ledezma states. Additionally, the Venezuelan political leader points out that "from the year 2014 to the present date, Maduro has been held responsible for the extrajudicial execution of more than 8,000 individuals, as stated in the Bachelet report when she served as the UN High Commissioner. He is responsible for the arbitrary detention, as a pattern of conduct, of more than 17,700 individuals. He is also responsible for the detention of over 760 adolescents, minors." "The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has confirmed that what is happening in Venezuela is state terrorism, and in the face of this state terrorism, the prosecutor has a say, we hope for prompt action, measures to be taken, and no impunity," he continues.
Despite everything, Ledezma remains hopeful as the countdown to January 10 approaches because "we have won the battle of the records, and now we are winning the battle of recognition." This has been done by the G-7, the US, Italy, Ecuador, Panama, and Costa Rica, but not Spain. "It is time for the Spanish government to validate the truth that is in the records," says the former mayor.
Red lipstick "as a weapon"
Venezuelans will protest today in over 200 cities worldwide to make their demands heard by all institutions, and they will also do so in Venezuela. There, the largest anti-Chavista coalition - the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD) - has asked people to take photos with their hand painted red and placed on their mouths, and to upload them to social media. A symbol that was seen this morning in the Spanish capital, along with chants of "freedom," "justice now," and "long live free Venezuela." Leading the demonstration, a poster with all the faces of those killed in the protests, whose names were read aloud.
Among those with painted faces was Eugenia Olavarría, daughter of Magalli Meda, campaign manager for María Corina Machado and one of the six refugees in the Argentine embassy in Caracas, who has been under siege by the Chavistas for a week. "We use this as the only weapon of democracy, a red lipstick, for those who still believe the big lie that we are criminals or terrorists. We will go all the way to seek justice and freedom for Venezuela," declared the 25-year-old to the media, who has been in Europe since 2017. "I got out in time, but my brother and father had to escape in a not-so-easy way. We are just another Venezuelan family that had to flee," explains Olavarría, who says she speaks regularly with her mother and is in a "constant state of anxiety." "They surround the embassy, they ripped out the electricity fuses, they are cutting off the drinking water, the list of microaggressions accumulates in a state of insecurity that Venezuelans normalize due to submission to this abusive and criminal regime," denounces the daughter of Machado's 'number two.'
Olavarría denounces that her mother has been accused of "terrorism, treason to the homeland, but all she has done is remind citizens of their electoral rights and ensure that the vote is defended in accordance with electoral rules."
Less fortunate is Santiago, the son of Perkins Rocha, who was a lawyer for Machado and is currently imprisoned. "My dad is still in a state of forced disappearance, just like all those unjustly detained in El Helicoide since July 28," he said today at the concentration in front of the European Parliament office in Madrid. The young man is concerned because there is "no communication at all" with his father, as he is "completely isolated." "I fear for my dad's safety and for all those detained in Venezuela," he continues, explaining and ending with a wish: "I want the release of all political prisoners because until they are all freed, we cannot move forward as a country, and Venezuela cannot be free."
María Laura Márquez is another relative of those currently imprisoned by the Chavismo who has attended the protest in Madrid today. She is the niece of Dignora Hernández, a deputy of Vente Venezuela. "She has been imprisoned in El Helicoide for 256 days. Some visits have been allowed, but we are concerned about her health as she suffers from severe hypertension and allergic reactions," she states. "We are concerned that she may have an episode of asphyxiation if she is not treated with medication in time and transferred to a health center where she can be assisted," adds Márquez.
As the countdown to the January 10 inauguration approaches, the opposition tries to resist inside and outside the borders of the oil-rich country while Chavismo intensifies its harassment strategy. The Prosecutor's Office accuses María Corina Machado of "treason to the homeland, conspiracy with foreign countries, and association to commit crimes" and targets the team and relatives of the opposition leader with the sole aim of forcing her into exile. The six collaborators close to Machado who are refugees in the Argentine embassy in Caracas remain under siege a week later. Harassment has reached the home of her 84-year-old mother, Corina Parisca.
Meanwhile, the US is increasing pressure with the Bolívar Law, which aims to prevent ties with Chavismo. A measure that has been met with a response from Maduro with the launch of the Organic Law Libertador Simón Bolívar against the Imperialist Blockade and in Defense of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, aimed at those who support initiatives against his government.
The winner of the June 28 elections must take office on January 10. The Venezuelan Supreme Court declared Nicolás Maduro as president, but without showing the records. The opposition published all the records it could gather on a website certifying that Edmundo González was the winner. The former diplomat recently stated that he wants to return to Caracas for that day and take office.