The death of Jesús Martínez Medina: a symbol of human rights violations in Venezuela

The tragic death of Jesus Manuel Martinez Medina36 years old, political prisoner and musician, reflects the systematic human rights violations faced by detainees in Venezuela. His death, after months of medical negligence in the dungeons of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) in Anzoátegui, highlights the inhumane conditions to which not only he, but thousands of political prisoners in the country are subjected.

A case that reveals a pattern of violations

Arrested on July 29, 2024 after participating as an electoral witness in the controversial elections, Jesús Martínez was held in an unsanitary cell, where he suffered physical and psychological abuse. The terrible conditions of detention aggravated his type 2 diabetes and heart problems, leading him to develop necrosis in both legs.

Relatives and human rights organizations repeatedly denounced his critical condition and demanded his transfer to a hospital. However, authorities ignored the requests, reflecting a pattern of indifference toward the health and lives of political detainees.

“My son preferred to die than return to the hell he lived in prison”

Medina He died from complications resulting from an advanced infection that did not receive timely medical attention. His case is a symbol of the serious violations of human rights in Venezuela.

These were the words of Maria Medinamother of Jesús, who remained by her son’s side from the moment he was transferred to the hospital. As reported, Medina He developed an infection in his leg as a result of the terrible conditions in the Sebin dungeons, where he also contracted scabies and skin abscesses. His clinical condition, aggravated by the type 2 diabetes that he had suffered since he was 25, was not treated in an adequate or timely manner, despite repeated requests for help.

An outcome that reflects the reality of thousands

This tragedy is not an isolated case, but a mirror of the situation faced by thousands of political prisoners in Venezuela. People deprived of liberty under similar conditions suffer torture, cruel treatment and negligence, used as tools of repression by the regime.

His case contravenes the Venezuelan Constitution, international treaties such as the American Convention on Human Rights, which guarantee dignified treatment for detainees.

A symbol of resistance and a call to action

For his colleagues from Vente Venezuela and the opposition, Martinez Medina It has become a symbol of resistance against a system that seeks to perpetuate itself through fear and repression. His death highlights the suffering of those who remain in prison for political reasons and demands justice for all of them.

International organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch They have strongly condemned his death, demanding independent investigations and sanctions for those responsible. Additionally, this case has intensified calls to audit Venezuelan prison systems to ensure minimum humanitarian standards.

The right to life and physical integrity is protected by the Venezuelan Constitution and by international treaties ratified by the country, such as the American Convention on Human Rights. The negligence that led to the death of Medina It could be classified as torture or cruel and inhuman treatment, a serious violation of these agreements.

Violation of international standards

The case also violates the provisions of the Nelson Mandela Rules, adopted by the UN as minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. These standards specify that detainees must have access to health services equivalent to those offered in the community and that no prisoner may be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Furthermore, international humanitarian law, ratified by most States, underscores the government’s responsibility to ensure the dignity of prisoners, even in cases of political crimes. In this case, the lack of response to a serious medical situation constitutes, according to experts, an act of negligence that could be classified as cruel and inhuman treatment.

A mirror of political repression

The case of Jesús Martínez is a reminder of political repression in Venezuela, a system that seeks to perpetuate itself through fear and repression. It not only takes lives but also thousands of people are unjustly imprisoned. His story is not unique but the reflection of a system designed to punish dissidents. May Martínez’s memory become an urgent call for the international community to step up and defend the fundamental rights of political prisoners in Venezuela. His death, although tragic, forces us to look squarely at the reality of those who, like him, are a person deprived of their freedom for thinking differently.