Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s security chief, Milciades Avila, has been released from jail a day after his arrest on charges of gender violence. Avila’s detention had sparked outrage within the opposition, who accused the government of using the charges to target Machado’s campaign.
Machado, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed gratitude for the support she received and confirmed Avila’s release. She stated that he is now required to appear in court every 30 days.
Avila’s arrest occurred on Wednesday morning, just weeks before Venezuela’s presidential election scheduled for July 28th. He was accused of violence against a group of women who allegedly attempted to attack Machado and opposition coalition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez at a food store in Aragua state over the weekend. Gonzalez is currently polling ahead of incumbent President Nicolas Maduro in the election.
The opposition has repeatedly denounced actions by the Venezuelan authorities, claiming they are designed to hinder their election campaign and prevent a fair election. The government denies these accusations.
Machado herself was barred by a court from participating in the election due to alleged fraud, a claim she refutes. She had won the opposition’s primary election in October with a landslide victory. Since then, numerous allies of Machado have also been detained.
Omar Mora, Machado’s lawyer, celebrated Avila’s release on social media, emphasizing their commitment to dismantling the accusations against him and working towards freedom and justice in Venezuela.
The upcoming election in Venezuela is being closely watched by the United States. The US has tied the lifting of sanctions against Venezuela to the implementation of free and fair elections. In April, the US reimposed sanctions, citing Maduro’s failure to fulfill his commitments.
