Campaign staff of opposition candidate arrested by Venezuelan authorities

Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, has issued arrest warrants for nine members of opposition leader María Corina Machado’s presidential campaign, including her campaign manager Magalli Meda, on charges of anti-government conspiracy, which reportedly includes plans for demonstrations, a media campaign and attacks on military barracks.

Two of the accused, including political coordinator Dignora Hernández, have been detained, while there were indications that others were still at large. In a video circulated on Venezuelan social media, a visibly distressed Hernández can be seen being forcefully detained by uniformed officers.

The warrants were reportedly prompted by a confession from another Machado staff member, Emill Brandt, who was arrested earlier this month. Brandt’s lawyer alleges he has been denied his choice of legal representation. Machado, who has been banned from holding office but continues to campaign regardless, denounced the government’s “brutal repression against my campaign.”

The warrant announcement came a few hours after an independent panel investigating human rights violations in Venezuela reported to the UN that the Maduro government is escalating repressive efforts against possible opposition figures ahead of the upcoming presidential election. The panel head, Marta Valiñas, noted that the Attorney General’s Office continues to enable the targeting of the government’s critics, lending a veneer of legality to the repression.

Despite the Supreme Tribunal’s affirmation of a 15-year ban on Machado holding public office, she remains determined to continue her campaign and expects more support from the international community. Machado, who won a primary election overwhelmingly, maintains that her campaign is getting stronger with each passing day and will not be intimidated by the government’s repressive measures. The Venezuelan government and opposition representatives have agreed to work towards fair electoral conditions; nevertheless, the US government has accused Maduro’s government of noncompliance, leading to a reversal of some economic sanctions relief. The Venezuelan elections are scheduled for July 28.