US criticizes Venezuela over death of opposition figure in custody

(MENAFN) The US has condemned the Venezuelan government following the death of opposition politician Alfredo Díaz while in custody at El Helicoide prison in Caracas. Díaz, 56, had been held for over a year and reportedly died after showing signs of a heart attack. Human rights groups describe the prison as a “torture centre,” and Díaz had limited contact with family, receiving only one visit from his daughter during incarceration.

Díaz, former governor of Nueva Esparta, was detained in 2024 after disputing the results of Venezuela’s presidential election, which re-elected President Nicolás Maduro amid widespread allegations of fraud. He faced charges of "incitement to hatred" and "terrorism" for contesting Maduro’s victory.

US criticism comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. President Donald Trump has accused Maduro of leading one of the region’s drug cartels and has threatened potential military action. The US has increased its naval presence in the region and conducted airstrikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels.

Venezuelan opposition groups, including Díaz’s party Democratic Action (AD) and the Democratic Unitary Platform, called his detention and death unjust. Prominent opposition leader María Corina Machado, a recent Nobel Peace Prize winner who remains in hiding, described Díaz’s death as part of a “painful chain of deaths of political prisoners” following the election.

The incident underscores deteriorating conditions for political prisoners in Venezuela; human rights group Foro Penal reported that 17 political prisoners have died since 2014.

Meanwhile, Maduro has accused the US of using drug enforcement as a pretext to depose his government and gain control of Venezuela’s oil resources. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro also criticized US actions as attempts to dominate the region.

On the same day as Díaz’s death, Venezuela resumed flights with Turkish Airlines, following months of suspension linked to US warnings of heightened military activity in the region. The Venezuelan army reportedly swore in over 5,600 troops in response to perceived US threats.
This episode highlights the ongoing humanitarian, political, and geopolitical tensions between Venezuela and the US in the Caribbean and Latin America.

MENAFN08122025000045017640ID1110450238