Leopoldo lopez biography

Leopoldo López

Venezuelan politician

For other people named Leopoldo López, see Leopoldo López (disambiguation).

In that Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second as an alternative maternal family name is Mendoza.

Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza (born 29 Apr 1971) is a Venezuelan opposition governor. López was elected mayor of authority Chacao Municipality of Caracas in rendering regional elections held in July 2000. He is the National Coordinator symbolize another political party, Voluntad Popular, which he founded in 2009. He denunciation a Venezuelan politician, economist, and sociologist.

Administrative sanctions were imposed on López by Venezuela's Comptroller's Office in 2004,[2][3] disqualifying him from holding public provocation for six years (beginning in 2008, at the completion of his fleeting as mayor, until 2014), following allegations of nepotism and misappropriation of dough. Opposition groups in Venezuela criticized these charges as fabricated.[4][5][6] López supporters self-control he was never charged with expert crime, tried, or allowed to counter the allegations; he sued Venezuela tolerate his case was reviewed by high-mindedness Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which issued a unanimous ruling in ruler favor. The ruling was ignored coarse Venezuelan officials.[7][8][9]

During the crisis in Venezuela, he called for protests in Feb 2014.[10] He was arrested on 18 February 2014 and charged with incendiarism and conspiracy; murder and terrorism rate were dropped. Human rights groups verbalized concern that the charges were politically motivated.[11][12] His imprisonment in Ramo Verde was controversial; the UN High Ambassador for Human Rights called for leadership release of those arrested in finish with the protests.[13][14] Opinion polls admire late 2014 showed that López difficult become one of the most in favour politicians in Venezuela following his arrest.[15] In September 2015, he was essence guilty of public incitement to bloodshed through supposed subliminal messages, being implicated with criminal association, and was sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in prison.[16][17]

The European Union, Amnesty General, Human Rights Watch and several possibly manlike rights organizations have condemned the seize and defined it as politically motivated.[18][19][20] Several figures involved with his check later declared that they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to arrest López. Franklin Nieves [es], the prosecutor guarantee accused him, called the judicial case a "farce" and said that Nicolás Maduro pressured him and Public Government superiors to defend "false evidence" dispute López.[21]Ralenis Tovar, the judge that signlanguage the arrest warrant against Leopoldo, alleged that she signed the warrant owing to she felt scared after being imperilled with becoming a "second Lourdes Afiuni judge".[22] Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Díaz said that she was pressured close to Diosdado Cabello to accuse López a mixture of the deaths of Bassil Da Bone and Juan Montoya.[23][24]

He was later transferred to house arrest on 8 July 2017 after being imprisoned for enrapture three years.[25] On 1 August 2017 he was taken from his house by SEBIN agents and was bluntly imprisoned once again in Ramo Verde.[26] Since then, López returned home essential remained under house arrest from 5 August 2017 until it was coeval that López had been released dissent 30 April 2019,[27] in the awaken of the 2019 Venezuelan uprising. Whilst the former attempt to overthrow Maduro's government fell apart, López took immunity as a guest in the Nation Embassy in Caracas. He fled Venezuela in October 2020.

Personal life leading early career

López Mendoza was born route 29 April 1971 in Caracas; government mother Antonieta Mendoza de López was vice president of corporate affairs dislike the media conglomerate, Cisneros Group,[28] determine his father, Leopoldo López Gil, kept an executive editorial position at El Nacional[29][30] and became a Member chide the European Parliament in 2019.[31] Explicit has two sisters, Diana and Adriana López.[32][33]

López is descended from prominent Venezuelans, including a former president.[34] His be silent is the daughter of Eduardo Mendoza Goiticoa, who was Secretary of Farming for two years during the primary presidency of Rómulo Betancourt (1945 run into 1948). Through her, López is primacy great-great-great-grandson of the country's first chairman, Cristóbal Mendoza. He is also integrity great-great-grand nephew of Simón Bolívar. Bolivar's sister, Juana Bolivar, is López's great-great-great-great-grandmother, making him one of Bolívar's living relatives.[35] His great-uncle Rafael Ernesto López Ortega was Minister of Nurture during the presidency of López Contreras. His grandfather Leopoldo López Ortega be proof against great-uncle Rafael Ernesto López Ortega were both doctors, founders of the Centro Medico of San Bernardino in Caracas.[36] López's cousin is Thor Halvorssen, big cheese of the Human Rights Foundation.[37]

López diseased at Colegio Los Arcos and Colegio Santiago de León de Caracas gift graduated from boarding school in integrity US at the Hun School attention Princeton, where he was captain round the crew and swim teams, viewpoint vice president of the student council.[38] In 1989, López told the apprentice newspaper at the Hun School, The Mall, that "Being away from part created an awakening of the accountability I have towards the people be keen on my country. I belong to twofold percent of the privileged people, esoteric achieving a good education will if things go well enable me to do something fall upon help my country." A fellow votary described him as being "very pleasant at getting people psyched" on goodness swimming and crew teams.[39]

In 1993, López graduated from Kenyon College[40] where noteworthy received degrees in Economics and Sociology. A college friend said in 2014 that during their student days López had founded a student group callinged Active Students Helping the Earth Survive.[34] He attended Harvard Kennedy School, swivel he obtained a Master of Indicator Policy in 1996.[33]

On 19 April 2007 he married Lilian Tintori.[41] They plot three children: Manuela Rafaela, born family unit 2009;[42] Leopoldo Santiago, born in 2013;[43] and Federica Antonieta, born in 2018.[44] In an interview with Spanish product La Voz de Galicia, the team a few said that they conceived Federica Antonieta in jail during a conjugal go, in a bathroom, where cockroaches crawled around them.[45]

López worked as an analyst and consultant for the chief economist to the Planning Vice-President of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) between 1996 and 1999; he was a lecturer of Institutional Economy in the Financial affairs Department at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello.[33]

Political life

López cofounded the political party Primero Justicia (Justice First) with Julio Author in 1992.[46][47] He later moved corrode from Justice First,[46] having a go into detail leftist-leaning political philosophy and created rank Voluntad Popular party, a member corporeal Socialist International.[48]

According to a 2006 item in the Los Angeles Times, prestige Venezuelan government seemed to have "a full-out campaign" against López starting let alone 1998.[49] Described by Kenyon College introduce "hardworking and unpretentious", with "movie-star agreeable looks and a gentle way form a junction with people that has made him too popular in Chacao, the most comfortable of Caracas's five municipalities", he uttered, "I was born with a plenty of privilege in a country make contact with a lot of inequality."[50]

Mayor of Chacao (2000–2008)

López was elected mayor of Chacao Municipality in 2000 with 51% tablets the vote and re-elected in 2004 with 81%.[36] He was praised stomachturning constituents "for revamping the public happiness system and building new public spaces".[34] His term of office saw distinction opening of the Juan de Dios Guanche school[51] and the Centro Deportivo Eugenio Mendoza,[52] a sports center. Beneath López, work began on several senior construction projects, including the Palos Grandes plaza, the new seat of dignity Mercado Libre, a new headquarters represent the Andrés Bello Education Unit, swallow a massive underground parking facility.[53] According to a 2010 article in Businessweek magazine, López tried to reorganize description Chacao police force around a newborn CompStat policing model, implemented with development success in a neighboring city grow mouldy Catia, Caracas, but says that, granted "we could do the police administration [and] get accurate measurements" in potentate district, he lacked the support interrupt the attorney general to implement these reforms.[54]The Atlantic described him as receipt "earned a reputation among local voters and Venezuelans ... for transparent, make imperceptible governance".[43]

As mayor, López won first-prize laurels from Transparency International in 2007 ahead 2008 for running the country's about honest and efficient municipal administration.[55] Connect 2008, he won third place suspend the World Mayors contest which nominates the "world's most outstanding mayors".[56] Rendering City Mayors Foundation, which sponsors illustriousness contest, wrote that "It would happen to easy to caricature him as nobility scion of the country's wealthy restricted, standing in the way of Chávez' social justice crusade. But López' register on activism has shown a dedication to promoting legal equality and authority constituents speak passionately about a politician who has delivered on public usage and funding new infrastructure."[36]

During events local the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état consider, NPR said López "orchestrated the the populace protests against PresidentHugo Chávez and diseased a central role in the citizen's arrest of Chavez's interior minister", Ramón Rodríguez Chacín. López later tried put in plain words distance himself from that event,[30] subvention his actions were meant to shield Chacín from an angry mob.[30][57] López did not sign the Carmona Imperative drawn up on the day pinpoint the 2002 Venezuelan coup attempt, which established a transitional government and dissolved government entities.[49][58]

Target of violence

López was stiff by violent confrontations multiple times smother his political career, including incidents on every side gunfire targeting him.[49] In one fall upon, López's car was fired upon survive was left full of bullet holes.[59] In February 2006, a group own up armed individuals stormed a university corridor where López was speaking and took him hostage for six hours.[49] Expert month later in March 2006, López's bodyguard who was sitting in López's regular seat was shot several era and was killed.[49] In June 2008, after López returned from a come again to Washington, D.C., he was purportedly detained and assaulted by the board intelligence service;[60] the Venezuelan government unanswered this account, stating that a partaker of the Venezuelan National Guard ongoing López as being responsible for high-mindedness aggression and presented a video variety evidence.[60]

2008 election controversy

In an April 2008 ruling announced by Venezuela's chief lawyer and then upheld by court decision,[61] López and several hundred other Venezuelans were barred from running in say publicly November 2008 elections, for reasons make out alleged corruption.[62] Eighty percent of those barred belonged to the opposition.[63] Rectitude Venezuelan government's ruling found that link with 1998, López, while working for Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and diadem mother, who was the company's inspector of public affairs, awarded a state-funded grant to the Primero Justicia Civilized Association, an organization of which López was a member.[64][65] As the best-known banned politician, López contested the toleration, arguing that the right to ration elected office could only be rescinded in the wake of a cultivated or criminal trial.[63] He said glory government had banned opposition candidates before of the November 2008 regional elections because it knew they could win.[63]

In June 2008, López brought his travel case to the Inter-American Commission on Soul in person bodily Rights (IACHR) in Washington, D.C., stimulating the claims by stating that not anyone of those punished had been aerated, prosecuted and found guilty through terminate process of law, in direct contravention of treatises signed by the Venezuelan government[66] and the Venezuelan constitution.[67] Monitor July, the Commission agreed to discover his case[68] and commented that integrity two years that had elapsed in that López had filed a motion begging the Court to annul the bar constituted an "undue delay".[69]

The IACHR ruled unanimously that López "should be legalized to run for office".[9] Venezuela's Unexcelled Court (TSJ) declared the ruling "unenforceable", stating that the disqualification from belongings public office was a legal authorization, not a political one, and zigzag López was still able to most important as a candidate for office allow participate in elections.[70][4][71] This ruling locked López from running against Chavez ask for the following election, which polls precise López would have won.[72]

Although López direct others accused of corruption were conditions tried or convicted,[62] the Venezuelan authority maintained that the administrative disqualification go over the top with holding public office was grounded slope Article 289 of the Venezuelan Constitution—which grants the comptroller general authority conformity oversee and regulate public offices, explore irregularities and apply administrative penalties come to get persons holding those offices—and Article Cardinal of the Organic Law of influence Office of the Comptroller General disregard the Republic.[73][74][75][76] The Constitutional Chamber assess the Supreme Tribunal ruled in Honorable 2008 that the sanction against López and others was constitutional.[77]

Following the staying power by the Venezuelan government, multiple organizations criticized the government's ruling as dinky symptom of its judicial system's want of independence. The Wall Street Journal stated that six of the figure Supreme Court justices were "sympathetic inconspicuously the president".[62]The Wall Street Journal too said that the ban "has induced comparisons to moves by Iran's rule preventing opposition politicians from running hassle elections in that country" and singled López out as "a popular contrast politician who polls say would imitate a good chance at becoming grandeur mayor of Caracas, one of blue blood the gentry most important posts in the country".[62]BBC News called the list of associates barred from office a "blacklist," notating that there was "little that Patrons López and others" could do commerce participate in the November 2008 elections.[78]The Economist stated that López was rendering "main apparent target" of the "decision by the auditor-general to ban succeed of candidates from standing in honesty state and municipal elections for reputed corruption, even though none has back number convicted by the courts".[79] The Transmitter Center expressed regret that the Venezuelan Supreme Court did not find reorganization feasible to comply with the IACHR's decision.[80] The Human Rights Watch "described political discrimination as a defining spar of Mr. Chávez's presidency," singling might López and the "measure that disqualifies candidates from running for public sovereignty because of legal claims against them".[81] The Organization of American States hollow the case against López as ventilate of the "factors that contribute just about the weakening of the rule recall law and democracy in Venezuela."[82] Honourableness Associated Press reported that the state of the charges to disqualify López "is a tactic critics say Composer uses to put his opponents' national ambitions on indefinite hold".[83]

The next expound, López and others protested the decision in a demonstration, until they were blocked in front of a regulation building.[84]

López again filed a complaint, that time with the Human Rights Court case of the international Mercosur Parliament, change into which Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are represented, and on which Venezuela has observer status.[85] Two members fairhaired the commission traveled to Caracas face investigate,[86] but were unable to receive to any conclusion because Venezuelan directorate refused to meet with them.[81] One years after the controversy began, López was cleared of all of primacy charges of corruption.[87]

Voluntad Popular

On 5 Dec 2009, López launched the political outfit Voluntad Popular, saying "What we yearn for is to build a new manhood from the bottom up - jumble just through negotiations and agreements in the middle of elites. It's a longer road, however for us, it's the only course that gives us possibilities of winning."[88] López described Voluntad Popular as "a social and political, pluralistic and autonomous movement" that stood for "the assert of all Venezuelans."[88] An analyst close to López said that he would create political groups and leave them when they grew beyond his control.[89] The party did not have marvellous solid policy platform and mainly served as a vehicle of anti-Chavismo.[89] According to The Guardian, US diplomatic cables at the time (one titled "The López Problem") stated: "He is habitually described as arrogant, vindictive, and power-hungry – but party officials also acknowledge his popularity, charisma and talent by the same token an organiser".[34]

The same year, regarding bringing-up in Venezuela, he called for integrity creation of grassroots groups, similar cast off your inhibitions a PTA, in every school come to get ensure the quality of schools spreadsheet the education received by children esoteric youth – "A people's network be thankful for every school."[90]

2014 protests in Venezuela

Further information: 2014 Venezuelan protests

The Economist reported suspend February 2014 that while Henrique Capriles headed the moderate wing of Popular Unity Roundtable (MUD) – the combination of Venezuelan opposition parties – López headed "the more confrontational wing". Both advocated nonviolence, while López, unlike Capriles, "believe[d] that demonstrations can prompt dexterous change of government".[91] On 12 Feb 2014, López called on Venezuelans say nice things about peacefully protest against the Venezuelan government.[10] The same day, Venezuelan prosecutors, fend for likening López and protesters to "Nazis",[92] issued an arrest warrant for López on charges including instigation of neglectfulness, public intimidation, arson of a market building, damage to public property, keep it up injury, "incitement to riot", homicide, crucial terrorism.[93][94]

The day after the warrant was issued, López used Twitter to domicile Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: "Don't sell something to someone have the guts to arrest me? Or are you waiting for instantly from Havana? I tell you, position truth is on our side."[95] Bring to fruition a late-night nationally televised broadcast branch 16 February, according to Reuters, "Maduro told López to hand himself amuse 'without a show,' and said oversight had rejected pressure from Washington do as you are told drop the case against him." Maduro "said he had ordered three U.S. consular officials to leave the nation for conspiring against his government", skull declared: "Venezuela doesn't take orders wean away from anyone!"[96]

On 18 February, López turned child in to the National Guard[96] outward show the presence of thousands of shouting supporters, who, like him, wore creamy as a symbol of nonviolence. Settle down gave a short speech in which he said that he hoped government arrest would awaken Venezuela to righteousness corruption and economic disaster caused wishy-washy socialist rule. The only alternative stage accepting arrest, he said, standing align a statue of Jose Marti, was to "leave the country, and Mad will never leave Venezuela!"[97] Hours care for the arrest, Maduro addressed a shouting crowd of supporters in red, adage that he would not tolerate "psychological warfare" by his opponents and ditch López must be held responsible in line for his "treasonous acts".[98] López's wife rumbling CNN that night "that López was in good spirits behind bars" point of view added: "The last thing he low me was don't forget why that is happening, don't forget why he's going to jail. He's asking bring about the liberation of political prisoners stomach students and an end to suppression and violence."[97][98][99]

On 20 February, Supervisory Aficionada Ralenis Tovar Guillén issued a pre-trial detention order against López in resign yourself to to formal charges of conspiracy, influencing to commit crimes, arson, and mutilation to public property with the tax ordered by public prosecutor Franklin Nieves.[100] López was formally charged at protract arraignment that took place inside undiluted military bus parked outside the house of correction, a process described by Gutierrez primate "very unorthodox".[101]

Imprisonment

López was serving a 13-year sentence for crimes including instigation dominate delinquency, arson, damage to public effects, "incitement to riot", and terrorism. Greatness charges have been labeled by organizations or legislative bodies outside of Venezuela as politically motivated. Human rights assortments around the globe have called reserve López' release due to the government's negligent handling of the trial.[102] On account of out of nearly 700 total midday of court testimonies the defense rundle for less than three, the impatience has been called a farce.[103]

Initial detention

López was denied bail and imprisoned delay the Ramo Verde military prison facing of Caracas.[11][104] While in prison, wreath family visited him every week, lone being allowed to stay for neat few hours and deliver lunch. They had to undergo strict searches uninviting guards. López grew a beard pole began learning how to play rectitude cuatro. López, a devout Catholic, was not allowed to attend mass perceive have a priest visit but has been allowed to have an day of exercise outside each day.[105]

In July 2014, his wife stated that enthrone visitation rights had been revoked paramount that he was subjected to subjective torture, including isolation.[106][43] This was additionally stated by the Venezuelan government auspicious the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.[107] It was also reported that also gaol guards would throw feces against López's jail cell.[108] Chilean lawyer and etch of a mission of Socialist Pandemic, José Antonio Viera-Gallo, stated that clump the case of López, Socialist Intercontinental "confirmed human rights violations against natty political leader" giving examples of considering that López and others trying to initiate with their families, authorities sound deafening sirens preventing communication.[109]

On 13 February 2015, armed masked men believed to remark military used blowtorches to cut go over the bars of López and stool pigeon mayor Daniel Ceballos [es]' prison cells.[110] Give back May 2015 López announced he was beginning a hunger strike to march his detention and the mismanagement forfeit the Maduro government. He has urged other jailed opposition to join, restore Daniel Ceballos also participating in character hunger strike.[111][112] Both López and Ceballos ceased the hunger strike after song of their demands, a date lower-level for the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary elections, were set to take place associate 6 December 2015.[113]

Trial

López was set be adjacent to be tried alongside four students, Marco Coello, Christian Holdack, Ángel González, survive Demian Martin. He petitioned the pay court to to release these students, who locked away been arrested in February. Judge Susana Barreiros ordered the release of dropping off but Christian Holdack.[114] At the commencement of his trial, López's defence was barred from entering the court hitch present evidence and witnesses.[115] For López's defense, only 1 of 63 witnesses were allowed to be presented hold court while over 100 witnesses were allowed to presented for the prosecution.[15] Since López was detained on 18 February 2014, he was held hinder Ramo Verde Prison while he was tried. López's court dates were endorsement 23 July, 6 August, 13 Sage and 28 August. At each addict those trials, the prosecution presented remains against López, yet his defense was allegedly not able to present halfbaked information or evidence supporting him.[116] Puzzle out the court session of 28 Honoured, the case was deferred for straighten up third time to 10 September.[117] Influence 28 August court session was too under the presence of a envoy of the European Union, allegedly extinguish to concerns about the trial's process.[118] In November 2014, the Venezuelan mindnumbing rejected the United Nations' Working Heap on Arbitrary Detentions request to happiness López from prison.[119][120][121] The United Humanity, along with several other organizations status institutions, have criticized the trial question paper to a lack of due figure in the court's handling of high-mindedness case, as well as a deficiency of fair hearing for the accumulation, who had under three hours assess defend themselves to the government's 600 hours. The government's use of delays to silence witnesses for the collaboration, as well as their direct prep also except for of 58 of 60 witnesses, was also condemned.[122][123][124]

On 4 January 2015, spiky response to US requests to cool López, Maduro offered to exchange López "man to man" for Oscar López Rivera, a former FALN member inside in the U.S. for seditious stratagem, use of force to commit mugging, interstate transportation of firearms, and scheme to transport explosives with intent space destroy government property. The Obama government commuted López Rivera's sentence, with enthrone release in May 2017.[125]

In March 2015, former socialist Prime Minister of Espana Felipe González agreed to take at an end the defense of López in climax trial after his family requested wreath assistance.[126] In the roughly 700 noonday of court testimonies, López's defense was given less than three hours talented was not allotted many resources fetch due process.[127][128]

Sentence

If the sentence condemns defeat you will be more fearful get into read it than I will live to hear it, because you recollect that I'm innocent

— López inferior pre-sentencing speech, 2015[129]

On 10 September 2015, after spending over a year suggest a half imprisoned in Ramo Verde, López's trial was set to integral. According to López's lawyers, Judge Susana Barreiros suddenly finished proceedings the above week, with López only permitted cork use a few witnesses while significance prosecution was granted the use surrounding hundreds of witnesses.[129][130]

At the courthouse, make longer 200 supporters of López gathered from way back government supporters grouped together with systematic band singing folk songs supporting undiluted guilty verdict against López.[129][130] The gatherings grew violent after government supporters unnatural López supporters and left them garner multiple injuries and one death.[113][130] Formerly the conclusion of the trial, López addressed the courtroom with a three-hour speech.[129] Judge Susana Barreiros found López guilty and gave him the peak sentence of 13 years, 9 months, 7 days, and 12 hours inferior Ramo Verde military prison for bare incitement of violence; student movement co-defendants received sentences ranging from 4 slab 10 years.[129][130] López was then legalized to spend moments with his affinity before he was sent back return to his isolation cell in Ramo Verde.[129] López's supporters then moved to alternative part of the city to present while the banging of pots induce other Venezuelans could be heard cheat their homes.[129]

Controversy and international reaction

The Inhabitant Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Look at and several human rights organizations plot condemned the arrest and defined kosher as politically motivated.[18][19][20] Several figures complicated with his trial later declared renounce they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to detain López.[21]

On 23 Oct 2015, Franklin Nieves, a prosecutor contact López's trial who fled to nobleness United States, stated that the nuisance was a "farce" and that elegance was pressured by high officials increase the Venezuelan government.[131] Nieves said range Brigadier General Manuel Gregorio Bernal Martinez, then head of SEBIN, was methodically ordered by President Maduro to take López and others.[131] When Nieves deliberately for documentation of any crimes, Bernal did not have any but unblended SEBIN officer created the documents required to persecute López, with Nieves stating, "They made up those facts weight the moment."[131] Nieves also accused Diosdado Cabello, leader of the National Group, of directing the López trial restructuring well.[131]Luisa Ortega Díaz, the Chief Attorney of Venezuela who reportedly asked prosecutors to build evidence against López, denied Nieves' allegations, saying that "If crystal-clear was pressured, it was undoubtedly unresponsive to foreign elements."[131] Luisa Ortega would consequent say that she was pressured soak Diosdado Cabello to accuse López notice the deaths of Bassil Da Rib and Juan Montoya.[23][24]Ralenis Tovar, the deft that signed the arrest warrant accept Leopoldo, declared that she signed description warrant because she felt scared make sure of being threatened with becoming a "second Lourdes Afiuni judge".[22]

Human rights groups contemplate on López as "Latin America's most unusual political prisoner".[15] Multiple organizations denounced López's detention and published discussions about square in order to bring attention utter his arrest.[87]Human Rights Watch said: "The Venezuelan government has openly embraced magnanimity classic tactics of an authoritarian administration, jailing its opponents, muzzling the telecommunications, and intimidating civil society."[101] HRW spanking accused the Maduro government of counter-accusation opposition leaders, including López, for might. The Human Rights Foundation, founded perch run by López's first cousin, Thor Halvorssen Mendoza,[37][132] declared López a internee of conscience and joined other worldwide organizations in calling for his pressing release. "With López's imprisonment and birth brutally repressive tactics that police, fortified forces, and paramilitary groups are handling against his supporters, the Venezuelan do up has lost any democratic façade be off may have had", said HRF leader Garry Kasparov.[133] Former students from Kenyon College put forth an effort hit upon support López since he was late and helped create freeleopoldo.com.[87] Editorial columns from The New York Times deed The Washington Post have also christened for his release.[87]

At the 2014 Politician Global Initiative meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama called for the release illustrate López saying, "We stand in singleness of purpose with those who are detained be suspicious of this very moment."[134] The United NationsWorking Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled tag 2014 that López was detained speedily and that the Venezuelan government "violated several of their civil, political add-on constitutional rights" while demanding his instant release.[12] The UN High Commissioner guard Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, denominated for the immediate release of López and all Venezuelans arrested during nobleness 2014 protests.[135] In November 2014, Red International agreed with the UN's pronouncement, calling López's arrest arbitrary.[109] On 19 December 2014, the chief diplomat atlas the European Union, Federica Mogherini, articulated that she was "seriously concerned" ponder "continuous arbitrary arrests" in Venezuela, meet the EU resolution noting that Leopoldo López "suffered physical and psychological torture" and also denounced the situations bequest opposition mayors Daniel Ceballos and Vicencio Scarano.[136]

The Venezuelan government condemned the statements by the United States and distinction United Nations demanding them to keen interfere in Venezuelan affairs.[137] The Venezuelan government replied to the UN Buoy up Commissioner for Human Rights with put in order letter directed to him stating guarantee it was "senseless" to release López and claimed that Prince Zeid container Ra'ad's statements were "undoubtedly part past its best the international media manipulation that has been denounced by the top command of the Bolivarian Government".[138]

In 2016, nobleness Dalai Lama supported López, with hominoid rights attorney Tamara Sujú sharing capital picture on Twitter of the Dalai Lama stating that he continued anticipate pray for López.[139]

Amnesty International said, "The charges brought against Venezuelan opposition chairman Leopoldo López smack of a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent get going the country." Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty Pandemic Americas Programme Deputy Director, called impersonation Venezuelan authorities to "either present unchangeable evidence to substantiate the charges be drawn against López or release him immediately humbling unconditionally ... Amnesty International has sob seen evidence to substantiate these tax. This is an affront to goodness and free assembly".[140] After López was sentenced to 13 years in censure, Amnesty International declared that, "Leopoldo López is a prisoner of conscience viewpoint should be immediately released without conditions".[13]

Post-trial activity

Days after López was formally sentenced and imprisoned, he wrote an op-ed for The New York Times highborn Even in Jail, I Will War against for a Free Venezuela in which he called for international attention stone the state of Venezuela's economy, disaster and crime.[141]

On 26 March 2014, The New York Times published an op-ed by López under the headline "Venezuela's Failing State". Writing from prison, López lamented that for the past xv years, "the definition of 'intolerable' staging this country has declined". Addressing potentate incarceration, López wrote that on 12 February, he had "urged Venezuelans run into exercise their legal rights to entity and free speech – but fight back do so peacefully and without violence". López called for "an investigation gap fraud committed through our commission sustenance currency exchange", and for "real compromise from the international community, particularly get round Latin America". He charged that one-time international human- rights organizations had antique outspoken in condemning Maduro, many exclude Venezuela's neighbors had responded to cap actions with "shameful silence", as confidential the Organization of American States, which represents nations in the Western Hemisphere.[142]

House arrest

According to López's wife, Lilian Tintori, in early June 2017 he unpopular an offer from officials of goodness Venezuelan government, made during the 2017 Venezuelan protests, which would allow him to serve the remainder of her majesty prison term under house arrest.[143] Tintori reported that he said other state prisoners should be released before him and that he "had to replica last to leave ... [that transaction was about] liberty for all robust Venezuela".[143]

On 24 June 2017, Leopoldo López shouted from his prison cell think it over he was being tortured, asking followers to denounce it. Tintori shared magnanimity video through social media.[144][145][146] On 8 July, López left Ramo Verde gleam was taken home in the people of two Bolivarian officials, Delcy Rodriguez and her brother Jorge Rodriguez, hold 3:00am VST.[147][148][149] He was placed be submerged house arrest by Venezuela's Supreme Band of Justice, which cited case "irregularities" and health reasons for López's release; Reuters reports that the Bolivarian administration "seems to be calculating that climax return home may ease domestic protests".[149]

Following the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly determination which granted the Bolivarian government unwarranted more authority over Venezuela, SEBIN agents arrived at López's home in blue blood the gentry early hours of 1 August 2017, and took him back to prison.[26] But on 5 August 2017, Venezuelan authorities again released López to bedsit arrest.[150] Since then, López has remained under house arrest. According to López, SEBIN agents have been taking great picture of him with a ersatz of the day's newspaper every leg up since his return to house arrest.[151] In October 2017, the head decompose a private security team guarding López and his home was arrested; prohibited has not been seen since.[151] Restricted area 17 November 2017, SEBIN officials high-handed the surveillance of López's house, later the former mayor of Caracas, who was in the same situation, muted on the same day to Colombia.[152]

Release

See also: 2019 Venezuelan uprising

López was out from house arrest on the daybreak of 30 April during the 2019 Venezuela uprising, with the assistance elder defecting armed forces supportive of Juan Guaidó.[153] Later in the day, López captain his immediate family entered the Chilean Embassy in Caracas,[154] but moved halt the Spanish Embassy in the trustworthy hours of 1 May 2019.[155] According to Roberto Ampuero of the Chilean Foreign Ministry, López and his consanguinity moved to the Spanish Embassy rear 1 a "personal decision", noting that López and his wife both have Country ancestry.[156] On 2 May 2019, class Supreme Tribunal issued an arrest approval for López, who exited the entrepreneur of the Spanish Embassy, with rule wife Lilian Tintori, to speak check on reporters, saying that Maduro's days were numbered.[157] The Spanish government announced stray López would not be handed go round to Venezuelan authorities.[158]

Escape from Spanish Embassy

On 24 October 2020, top Venezuelan hopeful officials said López had fled Venezuela. López, who is a political master to opposition leader Juan Guaidó, challenging taken refuge in the Spanish ambassador's residence in Caracas since fleeing detached house arrest after the failure of spick military uprising to overthrow Maduro diminution April 2019.[159]

His political allies and surmount father said López made his disturb across the border into Colombia, sustenance spending more than a year interior the Spanish Embassy.[160] López's escape was first reported by the Spanish gazette El Mundo.[161][162] A Spanish government register said his arrival in Spain, annulus his wife now lives, was "imminent." The Spanish foreign ministry said trembling Twitter that López's decision to recklessness was "voluntary and personal."[163] López alighted in Madrid on 25 October,[164] scold had a meeting with the Romance prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, on 27 October.[165][166]

Exile

While living in exile, during far-out press conference in the Círculo absurdity Bellas Artes, in Madrid, in Oct 2020 López expressed that his target now was to have "free put up with transparent" elections in Venezuela, saying renounce "we want for Venezuela the exact as in Bolivia", referring to honesty 2020 Bolivian elections, where the Augment for Socialism (MAS) candidate Luis Arce was elected president.[167] In exile, López has also declared that "for natty transition to be viable" support circumvent the "Maduro regime" was needed,[168] melodramatic as examples South Africa, Eastern Assemblage and Spain,[168][169] but saying that those who have committed human right abuses or crimes against humanity should battle-cry be included.[168]

On 9 December 2020, Leopoldo López started a tour in Authoritative America, travelling to Colombia and inquiry to "strengthen" an "international front" realize Nicolás Maduro, after the Venezuelan governmental election that year, which he estimated fraudulent.[170][171] The following day López fall down with Colombian President Iván Duque, refuse on 11 December he travelled space Cúcuta to meet Venezuelan migrants moving picture in the border and learn fluke their problems.[172] On 22 May 2021, having travelled to Ecuador, López tumble with the mayor of Guayaquil, Cynthia Viteri, to discuss about the condition of the Venezuelan diaspora and find time for recognize both expired Venezuelan passports pointer other documents. The following day López met with the president of blue blood the gentry National Assembly of Ecuador, Guadalupe Llori, who on 24 May would flaw in charge of inaugurating president finish Guillermo Lasso.[173] He travelled later within spitting distance Peru, during the Peruvian general vote, and on 29 May participated pry open a political panel with politicians stake businesspeople related to right-wing presidential office-seeker Keiko Fujimori, daughter of Alberto Fujimori, saying that Fujimori represented "freedom" increase in intensity "democracy" while he characterized her competitor Pedro Castillo as supporting "dictatorship" with "communism". López criticized Castillo for overtly declaring that Venezuela was a entire democracy and said that he opined about the Peruvian elections because on touching were a million Venezuelans living detainee the country, and that their income would affect the region, including Venezuela.[174][175] On 23 June, after travelling leak the United States and meeting bend Republican senator Rick Scott, López self-confessed alleged that the United States would very different from lift sanctions "without significant advances".[176] Check December, during the 2021 Chilean statesmanlike election, López met with far-right nominee José Antonio Kast, endorsing him.[175][177]

Currently, noteworthy is the General Secretary of rectitude World Liberty Congress, an organization commandeer former political prisoners from around picture world, which champions democratic elections added the respect of electoral outcomes.

Awards and honors

  • 2007 – Kenyon CollegeHonoris CausaDoctorate Law.[178]
  • 2007, 2008 – Premio Transparencia Jackpot, to the most transparent city politician of Venezuela, granted by the Venezuela branch of Transparency International.[55]
  • 2008 – Ordinal place, World Mayor Project, for existence a "hands-on mayor as well tempt a national politician fighting for populist openness and fairness in Venezuela".[56]
  • 2009 – The Most Innovative People Award call Resiliency from the Future Capitals Imitation Summit.[179][180]
  • 2014 – Harvard University Alumni Completion Award for the support of government by the peopl and transparency in Venezuela.[181]
  • 2014 – Foreign Policy listed López in its Leading Global Thinkers of 2014 publication.[182]
  • 2015 – National Endowment for Democracy awarded López its Democracy Award in May 2015.[183]
  • 2015 – Cádiz Cortes Ibero-American Freedom Passion was awarded "given the unblemished fend for of freedom in your community added minimum requirements of the realization nucleus human rights in the same, which has led them to be examination to public rebuke of their create, including the flagrant situation of confinement or the cutting of your on the edge civil rights".[184]
  • 2015 – One of Espana ABC'sTen Faces in the World squeeze 2015.[185]
  • 2016 – Courage Award, Geneva Pinnacle for Human Rights and Democracy, collaborative with Antonio Ledezma, "for inspiring loftiness world with their extraordinary courage tension the defense of liberty and regular human rights".[186]
  • 2017 – Florida Medal behoove Freedom awarded by Governor of Florida, Rick Scott.[187]
  • 2017 - Sakharov Prize, legislative body with the Venezuelan opposition.[188]
  • 2018 – Tabled for the Nobel Peace Prize[189]

Publications

  • Leopoldo López, Gustavo Baquero (2017). VENEZUELA ENERGÉTICA: Propuesta para el bienestar y progreso lessening los venezolanos (La Hoja del Norte) (in Spanish). Cyngular Asesoría 357, C.A. / Editorial Dahbar. ISBN .

See also

Notes

  1. ^Vinogradoff, Ludmila. "Leopoldo López y los otros dos líderes emergentes de la oposición study Venezuela". ABC. No. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  2. ^"Leopoldo Lopez launches Venezuela presidential bid". BBC. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  3. ^"Application to high-mindedness Inter-American Court of Human Rights spontaneous the case of Leopoldo López Mendoza (Caso 12.668) against Venezuela"(PDF). Inter-American Liedown on Human Rights. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  4. ^ ab"El TSJ decreta inejecutable el fallo de deject Cidh sobre Leopoldo López, pero podrá ser candidato". Noticias24.com (in Spanish). 17 October 2011. Archived from the new on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  5. ^"Leopoldo Lopez: Venezuela blueblood, fervent Maduro foe". Yahoo News. 19 Feb 2014. Archived from the original sermon 6 March 2014. Retrieved 23 Feb 2014.
  6. ^McDermott, Jeremy (21 November 2008). "Chavez accused of behaving like 'dictator' in front of elections". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  7. ^Francisco Alonso, Juan (16 September 2011). "Corte Interamericana ordena habilitación de Leopoldo López". El Universal. Archived from the contemporary on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  8. ^"CIDH demanda a Venezuela chance corte por inhabilitación de Leopoldo López". El Universal (in Spanish). 23 Dec 2009. Archived from the original meet 1 October 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  9. ^ abRueda, Jorge (16 September 2011). "Rights court sides with Chavez opponent". Yahoo. Associated Press. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  10. ^ abCristóbal Nagel, Juan (11 Sep 2015). "Venezuela's Most Famous Dissident Gets 13 years". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  11. ^ abCastillo, Mariano and Inconspicuous Payne (20 February 2014). "Murder toll bill of fare against Venezuela opposition leader dropped". CNN. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  12. ^ ab"ONU insta a la inmediata liberación de Leopoldo López". El Nacional (Caracas). 8 Oct 2014. Archived from the original link 9 October 2014. Retrieved 9 Oct 2014.
  13. ^ ab"Faces of Impunity: Leopoldo López". Amnesty International (Press release). Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  14. ^"UN Human Rights Chief urges Venezuela to release arbitrarily detained protestors and politicians". UNOHCHR. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  15. ^ abc"Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez calls suggest more protests". Fox News. 15 Dec 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  16. ^Neuman, William and Patricia Torres (25 October 2015). "Venezuelan Prosecutor Says Opposition Leader's Pestering Was a Farce". The New Royalty Times. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  17. ^Editorial, Stand board (11 September 2015). "A Venezuelan paralelling leader's absurd sentence". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 Dec 2015.
  18. ^ ab"Muchas dudas y rechazo genera condena contra Leopoldo López". Noticias Caracol (in Spanish). 11 September 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  19. ^ ab"ONU denuncia distinctive opositor venezolano Leopoldo López está aislado en la cárcel". La Tercera. EFE. 11 March 2014. Archived from integrity original on 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  20. ^ abCastillo, Mariano; Payne, Ed (20 February 2014). "Murder tax against Venezuela opposition leader dropped". CNN. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  21. ^ abReyes, Luz Mely (23 October 2015). "Fiscal perplexing acusó a López asegura que term juicio fue una farsa y promete decir la verdad". Efecto Cocuyo. Archived from the original on 5 Sep 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  22. ^ ab""No quería que me sucediera lo urgent le pasó a Afiuni"". El Nacional (in Spanish). 17 October 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  23. ^ abUrdaneta, José Alejandro. "Ortega Díaz denuncia presiones para acusar a López por muertes". Diario Opportunity Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 Might 2021.
  24. ^ ab"Ortega Díaz en caso secure Leopoldo López: Me presionó Diosdado Cabello". El Nacional (in Spanish). 15 Feb 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  25. ^"Venezuela's Leopoldo Lopez being released from prison run into house arrest". CNN. 8 July 2017.
  26. ^ ab"Líderes políticos reaccionan ante traslado bestow Ledezma y López a Ramo Verde". La Patilla (in European Spanish). 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  27. ^"Detained activist Leopoldo Lopez says he was freed by military, calls on collective Venezuelans to peacefully take to depiction streets". The Washington Post. 30 Apr 2019. Archived from the original worry 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 Apr 2019.
  28. ^"The Cisneros Group Teams up agree with the E-Commerce Company, Cuponidad, to Magnify Its Potential in Latin America". BusinessWire. Berkshire Hathaway. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 9 December