Rocío San Miguel, a Spanish-Venezuelan lawyer and activist, has been detained and is currently serving six days in prison in Venezuela. She has been accused of plotting to kill President Nicolás Maduro. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern about her detainment and has requested information from Venezuelan authorities to ensure that her rights are protected.
The Spanish Embassy in Venezuela is actively involved in the case, providing consular assistance and negotiating with the authorities to determine San Miguel’s whereabouts and ensure that her rights are respected.
San Miguel appeared before the Second Anti-Terrorism Court with five other individuals, including her daughter, father, ex-partner, and two brothers. She was reportedly detained on February 9 while attempting to leave the country at the Simón Bolívar Airport. Initially, they were reported as “disappeared” by their lawyers.
Miranda Díaz San Miguel (San Miguel’s daughter), Miguel Ángel and Alberto San Miguel (her brothers), and Víctor Díaz Paruta (Miranda’s father) have been released with a prohibition from leaving the country and making statements to the media. However, San Miguel and Alejandro José González Canales, her ex-partner, remain in custody.
According to the Venezuelan Attorney General, San Miguel and her associates are allegedly involved in a conspiracy plot known as the “white bracelet,” which aimed to attack President Nicolás Maduro and other State authorities. The government has also conducted a macro-operation resulting in the expulsion of more than 30 soldiers from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, allegedly involved in these conspiracies.
The international community, including the UN Independent International Mission for Venezuela, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Amnesty International, and various local NGOs, have expressed concern regarding San Miguel’s detention. The United States Government and the Organization of American States (OAS) have also called for her release and criticized the criminalization of human rights defenders.
Venezuela’s attorney general has denounced what he perceives as a “ferocious international campaign” against his country, claiming that certain sectors have always despised democratic institutions and have supported assassination attempts and coups against Venezuela.