By Zoila Palma: Venezuelan authorities confirmed Sunday that former opposition governor Alfredo Díaz died in custody, a development that has intensified international scrutiny of President Nicolás Maduro’s government, AFP reports.
Díaz, detained on accusations of terrorism and incitement, reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack, according to the interior and justice ministry.
His death prompted sharp condemnation from Washington, with the U.S. State Department calling it further evidence of the “vile nature” of Maduro’s regime.
Rights groups say Díaz, 56, is the sixth opposition member to die behind bars since late 2024, following mass arrests after last year’s disputed election.
The acknowledgment of Díaz’s death comes as U.S.–Venezuela tensions reach new heights.
The Trump administration has deployed warships and the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean, expanding operations that it says target drug-trafficking networks the U.S. has labeled as terrorist organizations. Maduro has accused Washington of using counternarcotics efforts as a pretext to overthrow him and seize Venezuela’s oil resources.
In response, Venezuelan authorities have accelerated military recruitment, swearing in 5,600 new soldiers over the weekend and affirming their readiness to repel what they describe as imperial aggression.
Human rights concerns continue to mount amid this geopolitical standoff.
NGOs, including Foro Penal, report at least 887 political prisoners held in Venezuela, many in isolation and without adequate medical care. Opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia denounced Díaz’s death as part of a broader pattern of post-election repression involving torture, deprivation, and inhumane conditions.
The post International News: Venezuela confirms death of detained opposition figure as tensions with U.S. escalate appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Venezuelan authorities confirmed Sunday that former opposition governor Alfredo Díaz died in custody, a development that has intensified international scrutiny of President Nicolás Maduro’s government, AFP reports. Díaz, detained on accusations of terrorism and incitement, reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack, according to the interior and justice ministry. His death prompted sharp
The post International News: Venezuela confirms death of detained opposition figure as tensions with U.S. escalate appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
