[REVISION HISTORY]

Release of Venezuelan judge María Lourdes Afiuni

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-08 20:18 UTC → 2026-08-09 20:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

After 16 years of legal proceedings, former Venezuelan judge María Lourdes Afiuni has been granted full release and the definitive closure of her case. The legal ordeal began in December 2009 after then-President Hugo Chávez ordered her detention for granting bail to businessman Eligio Cedeño. Throughout her tenure in the justice system, Afiuni faced various forms of detention, including house arrest and conditional release. In 2019, she was sentenced to five years for "spiritual corruption," a charge where the prosecution admitted no financial benefit was involved. During her conditional release, she remained subject to strict prohibitions regarding travel, voting, and communication via social media or the press. Following the notification of her unconditional release on August 7, 2026, concerns have emerged regarding Afiuni's health. Medical examinations conducted during a recent hospitalization detected tumor lesions in several parts of her body. She has also reportedly experienced symptoms of hypertension and dizziness. International figures, including U.S. Senator Rick Scott and opposition leader María Corina Machado, have responded to the closure of her case, with Senator Scott specifically urging the Maduro administration to return her documents immediately so she can seek urgent medical treatment abroad. The case remains a prominent symbol cited by human rights observers regarding the erosion of judicial independence in Venezuela.

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