Voluntad Popular demanded proof of life and the immediate release of Rafael Tudares

Voluntad Popular on Monday demanded that Nicolás Maduro’s regime provide proof of life and immediately release Rafael Tudares, son-in-law of President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, after more than five months without official information about his whereabouts.

“153 days have passed without knowing anything about Rafael Tudares. His wife and children are still waiting for proof of life. They demand humanity. They demand answers. They demand justice,” the party wrote in a post on X, in which it denounced that the detainee has had no access to his family or his legal defense since his arrest on January 7.

The organization described the case as an enforced disappearance and accused Maduro’s regime of maintaining a “systematic and cruel policy” against political prisoners.

“Since then, there has been no official information about his whereabouts. He has not been able to see his lawyers or his family. None of his rights have been respected,” Voluntad Popular denounced.

Tudares was accused by chavismo, without any evidence, of usurpation of functions and conspiracy. His wife, Mariana González, has denounced that she was denied access to the preliminary hearing scheduled for May and that she even received a warning not to go near the court.

“Today we join his family’s call. Their pain is ours too,” the organization said, which also called for medical care for the detainee. “Neither silence nor fear will stop us. Neither Rafael nor the political prisoners are alone. Venezuela is with all of them,” the message concluded.

153 days have passed without knowing anything about Rafael Tudares. His wife and children are still waiting for proof of life. They demand humanity. They demand answers. They demand justice.
Rafael was kidnapped on January 7 by the regime’s security forces. Since then, there has been no information… https://t.co/TSvpEFD0V9

— Voluntad Popular (@VoluntadPopular) June 9, 2025