Venezuela: journalists and activists detained by Nicolás Maduro regime released after 25 hours of enforced disappearance

Venezuelan journalists Luis Gonzalo Pérez and Rafael Hernández were released on Thursday, more than 25 hours after being detained by agents of the Nicolás Maduro regime while covering the fighting between the army and a group identified by several NGOs as dissidents of the FARC.

The two journalists, from the Colombian television channel NTN24, were released along with activists Juan Carlos Salazar and Diógenes Tirado, from Fundaredes, an NGO that reported on what has happened in the region since the fighting began on March 21., detailed the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) on Twitter.

SNTP revealed this Thursday at 21:25 GMT that “After 25 hours of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, journalists Luis Gonzalo Pérez and Rafael Hernández were released, as well as FundaREDES activists Juan Carlos Salazar and Diógenes Tirado ”.

“Luis Gonzalo and Rafael are doing well. They took away their alarming personal effects, in particular cell phones and recording and transmission equipment. “SNTP reported after confirming his release after being held incommunicado for a day and not knowing his whereabouts.

In dialogue with Infobae, journalist Rosalí Hernández revealed at 22:27 GMT that she had been able to communicate with her brother, journalist Rafael Hernández. “Now the problem is to try to get them to come to Caracas as soon as possible,” he explained.

Fundaredes director Javier Tarazona also detailed on Twitter that he was able to speak to Tirado, Salazar, Pérez and Hernández after being released in the region of Guasdualito, which is part of the municipality of Páez, state of Apure. “They took their telephone equipment, their cameras to do their press and documentation work,” he added.

On the other hand, activist Gonzalo Himiob, from Foro Penal, added that They were released without having to appear before any judicial authority.

Chain NTN24 had explained that Hernández and Pérez “covered the conflict in Apure“-The border state where Venezuelan soldiers have been fighting since March 21 with FARC dissidents- when”they were retained<< With the two activists, officials of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, militarized police).

Wednesday around 4:00 p.m. local time (9:00 p.m. GMT) “they were told they would be released by returning the recording material”, but from that moment the TV channel lost communication, as explained NTN24.

The fighting between the military and FARC dissidents, which no official or military source has identified despite having published photographs showing the initials of this former guerrilla, began on March 21 and at least four soldiers died.

However, the information provided by the military or members of the Nicolás Maduro regime was very scarce and they did not confirm how many members of this armed group died, although they reported six “neutralized”, a word used ambiguously to refer to the two dead. and for arrested.

As a result of the clashes, more than 6,000 locals crossed the Arauca River, which marks the border between Venezuela and Colombia, and fled to the neighboring country.

With information from EFE

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