Perkins Rocha, Maria Corina Machado’s lawyer, is denounced for his arrest
Perkins Rocha, lawyer for opposition leader María Corina Machado, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon, the Human Rights Committee of Vente Venezuela on its account in X. The situation was described as a kidnapping.
According to information from the organization, unidentified individuals took the legal advisor of the Vente Venezuela party by force. They demand information and the release of Rocha.
Villca Fernández, coordinator of the NGO Resistencia sin Frontera, stated in a post on the same social network that the lawyer was detained by the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) and transferred to El Helicoide, in Caracas.
The action is part of the context of political tension in Venezuelawhere opposition figures face pressure and repressive measures from the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Lawyer Perkins Rocha played a leading role in the organization and campaign logistics of the Comando Con Venezuela, led by María Corina Machado.Together with Delsa Solórzano he was the opposition delegate to the CNE, but they were never allowed to enter the headquarters of the Electoral Power.
🚨#Urgent We denounce the kidnapping of our witness before the CNE and legal advisor, @perkinsrocha.
Unidentified individuals took him by force.
‼️We demand information and his immediate release. pic.twitter.com/rs16Ue4q5k
— Human Rights Sale Venezuela (@VenteDDHH) August 27, 2024
The human rights lawyer Tamara Suju also confirmed the arrest“Perkins Rocha has waged a legal battle to denounce tyranny and mega-electoral fraud with constitutional arguments and great courage,” he said.
They demand the release of Rocha
After learning of the arrest, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said that with the arrest they seek to subdue them and distract them from their struggle. She described Rocha as a ““just, brave, intelligent and generous man.”
The Nicolás Maduro regime has kidnapped my friend and comrade in arms, Perkins Rocha (@PerkinsRocha).
Perkins is our personal attorney, our Legal Coordinator and our representative. @ConVzlaComando before the CNE.
A just, brave, intelligent and generous man. A… pic.twitter.com/V1DTpUEodt— Maria Corina Machado (@MariaCorinaYA) August 27, 2024
Perkins Rocha’s last public appearance was on Monday, when she participated in the program The Citizenfrom the Evtv Miami channel, where he declared that former candidate Edmundo González “will not lend himself to a distortion of criminal procedural law,” in reference to the summons of the diplomat by the Public Ministry.
Human rights organizations also called for the lawyer’s release.
Since the announcement of the results of the presidential elections, which led to hundreds of protests across the country, at least 45 activists and opposition party members have been arrested.
Independent journalism needs the support of its readers to continue and ensure that uncomfortable news that they don’t want you to read remains within your reach. Today, with your support, we will continue working hard for censorship-free journalism!