(Caracas) Venezuelan lawyer Rocío San Miguel, a specialist in military matters, was arrested Friday on suspicion of being linked to an alleged assassination plot against President Nicolas Maduro, the attorney general said on Sunday.
The arrest took place “under an arrest warrant” suspecting her of being linked “to the plot and attempted assassination called “White Armband”, the objective of which was to make an attempt on life of the head of state Nicolas Maduro and other senior officials,” wrote Tarek William Saab on the social network X.
The 57-year-old lawyer was arrested on Friday at Simon Bolivar airport in Caracas.
Human rights organizations and the opposition denounced the detention of the lawyer, known as a critical voice of Mr. Maduro’s government.
“Until now, we do not know where she is or which court is investigating the case,” Theresly Malave, in charge of the defense of M.me San Miguel.
His arrest comes as the government announced that it had foiled five plots, involving soldiers, journalists and activists, according to the courts. 36 people were arrested, according to details provided on January 26 by the attorney general.
Mme San Miguel is accused of having supported a plan to attack a military base on the border with Colombia, called “White Bracelet”, to seize weapons and assassinate leaders in power.
Amnesty International demanded “the immediate release” of the lawyer, as did the NGO Provea, which denounced “the unfortunate habit of persecuting anyone who defends and exercises their rights”.
Maria Corina Machado, the main opposition figure for the 2024 presidential election, although made ineligible at the end of January by the Supreme Court, called the international community to witness and denounced “the continued repression carried out by the Maduro regime”.