Public Petition Seeks Release of Venezuelan Political Prisoners

A community in Luz in Madeira is collecting signatures for a public petition to pressure the Portuguese government. The group is specifically advocating for the release of individuals detained for crimes of opinion. The movement is led by descendants of those currently imprisoned. Activists describe the Venezuelan regime as criminal and argue that diplomatic negotiations have failed to produce results. Families of the detainees report receiving no substantive answers from the Portuguese government despite ongoing negotiations. A public petition launched in Funchal has gathered approximately 300 signatures to advocate for the release of political prisoners in Venezuela. The campaign aims to reach a target of 4,000 signatures. One prisoner, a military member, has been detained since March 23, 2019. The NGO Venezuela na Encontro, Justiça e Perdão is involved in the effort to monitor the health and status of detainees. Five Portuguese nationals are among those mentioned in the context of the non-governmental meeting regarding justice and pardon in Venezuela. The initiative is being led by the non-governmental organization Venezuela en Busca de Justiça e Perdão. Organizers aim to reach a total of 4,000 signatures to support the cause.