Ibero-American Ex-Presidents Condemn Death of Víctor Quero Navas: 'Stability Will Only Be Achieved with Democracy'
Several Ibero-American ex-presidents from the IDEA Group, including Spain's José María Aznar and Felipe González, and Colombia's Álvaro Uribe, condemned on Monday the death of political prisoner Víctor Hugo Quero Navas while in the custody of the Venezuelan government. "We received with scandal the news of the forced disappearance and concealment of the death of political prisoner Víctor Hugo Quero Morales, in Venezuela; which only became known after the public and permanent demands of his mother, through the social media," lamented the association in a statement signed by about thirty ex-presidents.
TL;DR
- Several Ibero-American ex-presidents condemned the death of political prisoner Víctor Hugo Quero Navas in Venezuelan custody.
- The association received the news of Quero's forced disappearance and concealed death with scandal, which was revealed after his mother's public appeals.
- Venezuelan authorities confirmed Quero's death, stating he was detained on January 3, 2025, and died in July from acute respiratory failure.
- Ex-presidents criticized that around 28 political prisoners have died in custody since the beginning of Maduro's government, with NGOs citing 27 deaths.
- They also criticized the high volume of forced disappearances in Venezuela since 2018.
- The statement emphasized that stability in Venezuela will only be achieved with the immediate restoration of democracy based on the popular will.
- They demanded an end to the systematic and widespread human rights violations, citing UN reports.
- The recognition of Quero's death occurs amidst escalating social concern over political prisoners, with the amnesty law being deemed insufficient.
- According to Foro Penal NGO, at least 457 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Venezuela, including 42 foreigners.
- The Venezuelan government maintains that political prisoners are incarcerated for committing crimes, a stance rejected by NGOs and opposition parties.