Venezuelan security forces detain UCV student Faustino Hermoso García, prompting calls to investigate political prisoner

On 30 April, Venezuela’s National Anti‑Kidnapping and Extortion Command (Conas) apprehended Faustino Hermoso García, a student at the Central University of Venezuela, in Santa Teresa del Tuy, Miranda. He was taken to a GNB facility in Caracas and has not been seen since; authorities have provided no charges and have denied him legal counsel. His mother, Yajaira Cruz García Ramírez, said in a video, “Responsabilizo al gobierno de la integridad física y mental de mi hijo,” and demanded information on his whereabouts, a life‑certification, and accountability for the state’s handling of his case.

Human‑rights groups, including the Comité por la Libertad de los Presos Políticos and the NGO Provea, have urged the government to disclose his status and release him. The incident recalls the deaths of political detainees Víctor Hugo Quero Navas and former Anaco councilor José Manuel García Sabino, who died under custody in circumstances that sparked criticism.

On 13 May, the Academia de Ciencias Políticas issued a statement calling the death of Víctor Quero Navas a “gravísima violación de los derechos humanos” and demanding an independent investigation, underscoring broader concerns about due‑process violations and political repression in Venezuela.