Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López sends a message to his supporters

"We repudiate the ratification of the unjust sentence against Leopoldo López, in democracy there are no political prisoners. Opportunity lost for reconciliation of Venezuela." -  Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, August 12, 2016 over twitter 

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López Mendoza in prison

Leopoldo López Mendoza was arbitrarily detained on February 18, 2014 in Caracas, Venezuela. Over a year and a half later on September 10, 2015 he was subjected to a show trial and sentenced to 13 years and nine months in prison.  On August 12, 2016 the prison sentence was upheld in a Venezuelan court. There is no longer an independent judiciary in Venezuela and this decision is entirely political. Two days later on August 14, 2016 Leopoldo López, from prison, tweeted a message of defiance and solidarity to the people of Venezuela.

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López Mendoza on day of his arrest

 The message pieced together and translated reads as follows:

"Still jailed for being committed body and soul to achieve the best Venezuela, something that only in a dictatorship could be considered a crime. I have always known that my freedom is tied to the freedom of our people and it won't be a court of this dictatorship that will grant it.

I presented myself before unfair justice to expose a dictatorship in front of the people of Venezuela and the world. And we have achieved more than that.

Our worst enemies are not Maduro or his corrupt elite. They are hopelessness, sadness and pessimism, and the dictatorship knows it. But the dictatorship is wrong if it thinks it can break our fighting spirit, as it is in thinking it can make Venezuelans bow down before it.

Venezuelans do not grieve or be frustrated! I swear I am not. We must convert all our indignation into action and mobilization. At this moment, the solidarity that I ask of you is with the country we love: lets go out with all our strength on September 1st. All dressed in white and in peace we will demonstrate that we are millions and we will go out to conquer our right to recall the government in 2016.

Do not get tired I never will. The change is near and it is unstoppable. Strength, Strength and Faith, Venezuela!"

In Venezuela the resistance continues amid increasing solidarity and repression

"In cases of torture and cruel treatment equally guilty who executes as the one who silences. Who orders as the one who obeys." - Tamara Suju, human rights defender in Venezuela

Angelly Pernia badly beaten, suffering internal injuries jailed

Student badly beaten by police suffering internal bleeding and kidney damage 

Angelly Pernia, a student at the Catholic University of Tachira was brutally beaten by Tachira police and according to a law student whose twitter handle is MargioryA  is suffering from internal bleeding and kidney damage. In a handwritten letter circulating through twitter and later transcribed and scanned the following excerpt is taken about her health status and circumstances of her arrest:

"My health is weak I am beaten and bruised all over my body. Thanks to these blows I can not pee I can not walk upright my belly hurts like never before and also have a kidney infection due to severe cystitis. I want this letter to be made public to the world to know that in this country there is NO JUSTICE that although the Judge and Prosecutor could see me vomit, not be able to stand and declare with excruciating pain they found a precautionary measure very little preferring a detention measure..."

Human Rights Defender Detained in Venezuela

Rodrigo Diamanti , president of the human rights organization, A World Without A Gag ( Un Mundo Sin Mordaza), who denounced on May 2, 2014 the raid the previous day on his office was today detained in Venezuela. 

Rodrigo Diamanti holds up sign: "We are thirsty for justice"

Students to March in Protest of Assaults and Burning of University on May 8

Students announced on Wednesday May 7 at a press conference a march for this Thursday May 8 at 9:00am from Fermín Toro University  (UFT) to the Governorate. In their address students said they required the Government of Lara State Authority to investigate police repression exerted in the protest on Tuesday May 7 and their inaction as armed groups inveighed against the UFT on Monday May 5, 2014. Around 80 individuals entered this University and burned 30 percent of the facility, including the library, where 20 thousand graduate theses were filed, the cafeteria and computer labs. This event led to the repudiation of regional and national academic community and generated the call to this mobilization.

Students announce march in defense of University autonomy on May 8

 Solidarity video "I am Leopoldo" and preliminary hearing for Leopoldo Lopez on May 8

Tonight Leopoldo López Mendoza's wife, Lillian, over her husband's account tweeted a video made in solidarity for him that demonstrates that he is not alone. In a second tweet she informed that  "Tomorrow Leopoldo's preliminary hearing will be held. I'll be reporting what happens." Lillian asked to to RT and help to get the word out. Earlier today a group of students chained themselves to the Palace of Justice and among their demands were the release of 135 youth arrested for protesting in the streets, 78 of them are minors. They demanded an end to the persecution and torture of students.

Yesterday came across this new song dedicated to the student movement by the singer and song writer Yordano di Marzo titled Manifiesto.




The international media would have you believe that the protests in Venezuela are dying down but the rising repression and mass protests continue along with signs of solidarity in the culture and the causes for the protests persist. The students continue in the street in response and in defiance to government repression.

May 1, 2014 rally of the democratic resistance in Caracas, Venezuela

Students continue to be brutally assaulted by pro-government paramilitaries on university campuses and even their university buildings are being looted and burned down by agents of the Maduro regime. This regime's actions demonstrate its weakness and desperation. According to journalist Enver Conde Ferrer 18 universities in Venezuela have been attacked since February 4, 2014 with damage ranging from fires to destruction.

Pro-govt assailants beat a student at Central University of Venezuela on May1. AP