35-Year-Old Politician Freddie Guevara Has Been Released In Mexico.
Key Sentence:
- Venezuelan opposition politician Freddie Guevara was released from custody two days after a meeting between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and opposition officials in Mexico.
- Guevara was arrested in July on charges of treason and terrorism.
The release of political prisoners held one of the opposition's demands at the start of negotiations to end the political crisis in Venezuela. Guevara is expected to join the opposition negotiating team.
The 35-year-old life streamed a video of his arrest on July 12 on social media.
He was stopped while driving on a highway in the capital Caracas and ordered the National Intelligence Service Bolivar (Sebin) to get out of his car. Officials say he had ties to the gang behind the deadly shootout in the capital that killed him decades before he was arrested.
His lawyer claims that his arrest is purely political and denies his client has ties to any group. His lawyer added that he was denied access to Guevara during his detention. After his release, Guevara told reporters he was being held in solitary confinement, and there was no information on whether he could join the opposition negotiating team in Mexico.
New trial solution
His release is considered the first concession by Maduro's government since new talks with the opposition began. The first meeting, hosted by Mexico and backed by Norway, took place on Friday between government spokesman Jorge Rodriguez and opposition negotiator Gerardo Blyde.
The opposition insists guarantees are given for free and fair elections to be held. Maduro's government wants the US and other countries to lift economic sanctions. Maduro came to power after the death of his mentor, President Hugo Chavez, in 2013.
He was re-elected in 2018 in a poll that was widely disapproved of because it was neither free nor fair.
After Maduro continued sworn in for a new six-year term in January 2019, Guido, chairman of the National Assembly, declared himself interim president, arguing that Maduro lacked legitimacy. However, while more than 50 countries recognize Guaydo, Maduro remains in the presidential palace and controls the military.
The two men and their supporters have since been at odds, and the talks were an attempt to find a stalemate.