Vente Venezuela activist Freddy Peñuela released in Portuguesa

Freddy Peñuela, an activist for the opposition party Vente Venezuela, was released on Thursday night after being detained by the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) in Guanare, Portuguesa state. Peñuela had been held since Wednesday night at the PNB headquarters.

His family and party members reported that the detention occurred around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and they were not initially provided with a reason for his arrest. The release followed public denunciations by Vente Venezuela and calls for justice from citizens and human rights groups.

The detention took place amid rising tensions in Portuguesa, where citizens have been protesting frequent power outages. The political organization has also reported that at least seven other members have been summoned by authorities following these protests.