Emirlendris Benítez released after eight years of detention in Venezuela

Emirlendris Benítez, a former political prisoner in Venezuela, was released on August 14 after eight years of arbitrary detention. Benítez was arrested in August 2018 while four months pregnant, following a police checkpoint in Portuguesa state. Authorities falsely linked her to a drone attack against Nicolás Maduro because she was a passenger in a vehicle with individuals deemed related to the incident.

During her detention at the Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), Benítez was subjected to torture that resulted in the loss of her unborn baby and left her with permanent physical disabilities, requiring the use of a wheelchair. She had been sentenced to 30 years in prison following a judicial process lacking legal guarantees.

Juan Pablo Guanipa, a leader of the Primero Justicia party, met with Benítez and her family to demand “memory, truth, and justice.” While Benítez has been released from prison, Guanipa noted that she has not been fully liberated, as legal restrictions and her conviction remain in place. He called for the full freedom of all political prisoners and emphasized that the country must address these human rights violations to achieve true reconciliation.