Other MoA event in Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of on Sat 26th October 2024

A Venezuelan opposition leader has been found dead after being taken into state custody, according to his political party.

Voluntad Popular (Popular Will), a centre-left party that opposes the government of President Nicolas Maduro, said local leader and co-founder Edwin Santos had been found dead on a bridge connecting the neighbouring Venezuelan states of Apure and Tachira.

Santos had been detained by state security services two days earlier on his way to the community of El Pinal in Tachira state, said Voluntad Popular, citing witnesses in the area.

The party blamed “the regime of Maduro” for “murdering” Santos, saying it was a clear act of “political retaliation”.

“What happened to Edwin Santos confirms the continuation of policies of repression, persecution and murder by a criminal regime,” said Voluntad Popular in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Exiled opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez wrote on social media: “Yesterday we denounced the kidnapping of Edwin Santos by the Maduro dictatorship.”

He added: “Today, he appeared dead. He was MURDERED, we have no doubt that this was a political crime.”

The party described Santos as an important activist who spoke out for his community. It said he had a wife and two children.