Despite recent announcements of prisoner releases, CLIPPVE representatives remain skeptical. Some, like Sousa, were promised that their loved ones would be released, but that has yet to happen.
A CLIPPVE representative, who also has a family member in prison, told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, “There is a lot of anger because the authorities have used the release in a very vague and unclear way.”
Some families have also faced reprimands and threats of arrest for protesting the continued detention of their loved ones.
Rivas, who is part of CLIPPVE, stressed that it’s important to keep fighting. As attention wanes, so does pressure on the government to release prisoners.
“I am very aware that the worst thing with a political prisoner is to be forgotten,” Rivas said.
For Davila, the need to raise awareness is at the heart of his mission at Defend Venezuela. He has documented Armas’ case as well as many others.
“At least by reporting to international organizations, we make sure that there is a record of human rights violations, because if we relied only on Venezuelan organizations, we wouldn’t have any,” Davila said. would have,” Davila said.
Meanwhile, Rivas hasn’t heard from her boyfriend in a month. Now he is not allowed to visit or call.
To make matters worse, Rivas is now facing the threat of arrest. Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello called Rivas a name — a religious reference that translates to “hitting the club” — on his weekly television show Con el Mazo Dando.
Critics have accused Cabello of using the platform to identify targets for political repression.
“It’s been pretty upsetting,” Rivas said. She added that she currently takes care of Armas’ elderly parents. “If we were both arrested, his parents would have no one to turn to.”
Despite the risks, Rivas is determined that silence is not an option.
He said that the people who have been detained are in this condition to defend the truth and defend democracy. “Every day I think about what we can do for the freedom of Jesus and other political prisoners – and to ensure the creation of historical memories in the country, so that this kind of thing never happens again.”
