Students in Caracas march to demand release of political prisoners
University students in Caracas held a march demanding the release of individuals they describe as political prisoners. The demonstration came amid claims of growing crackdowns and a resumption of external negotiations on Venezuela's political stalemate.
University students in Caracas marched on Wednesday to demand the release of individuals they describe as political prisoners. Demonstrators told Al Jazeera that detainees have been unable to meet relatives and have only limited access to lawyers. No statement was issued by the government.
Opposition figures say the cases of hundreds they describe as political detainees are being monitored by the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Venezuelan authorities classify the same individuals as criminal suspects. Numbers cited by the two sides differ widely.
The protests fall in the same week as diplomatic contacts taking place in the Caribbean. The United States and several Latin American governments are pressing Caracas to reopen the electoral calendar and release detainees. Additional rounds of talks are reported to be scheduled in the coming days.
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