Venezuela has arrested Freddy Guevara for ‘terrorism, conspiracy’ | Stories of Juan Guaido

Venezuelan protesters have declared “terrorism” and “insurgency” an opposition politician after detectives arrested him in his car on Caracas highway.

In a statement on Monday, Attorney General Tarek Saab said Freddy Guevara had been arrested by members of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) for “links to violent and militant groups affiliated with the Colombian government”.

“He will be charged with terrorism, conspiracy to commit treason, conspiracy and sedition,” he said.

Guevara, a close friend of opposition leader Juan Guaido, wrote on television inside his car that secret police had arrested him on Caracas Road.

“Hello to my family. I’m sorry you had this experience, I hope it’s short,” the 35-year-old said on television.

A spokesman for the Guaido office said Guevara, who was pardoned last year in 2017 on charges of inciting violence, was taken to the Sebin intelligence Service prison in Helicoide in Caracas.

The attorney general did not specify where he was in custody.

In contrast, Guaido also said unidentified armed men threatened to arrest him early Monday as he tried to leave his home to help Guevara.

A video released by his office showed at least two men in bullet-proof vests and balaclavas in the basement of Guaido’s house approaching his car and pointing a gun.

One of the men opened the driver’s door and pushed the driver down, shouting “Get out!”, The video showed.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Information has not responded to a request for comment.

Stories in Mexico

This comes as the Venezuelan government and its opponents are preparing for talks scheduled for next month in Mexico and enlightened by Norway, people familiar with the matter told Reuters news agency last week. The talks seek to address the political crisis in South America.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro carries a bullet, which was caught in a recent case between police and terrorists according to officials, speaking on television, in Caracas [Miraflores Palace/Handout via Reuters]

President Nicolas Maduro, appearing on home television on Monday, confirmed the talks but said opponents should stop violent tactics before negotiations take place. Without naming Guevara or Guaido, he said he had evidence that the actors were planning a plot and said prosecutors had taken action based on the evidence.

“I agree with the table of Mexico and Norway, but there must be a culture, there must be a complete denial of violence,” Maduro said.

The Venezuelan government has already linked Guevara and his political adviser, Leopoldo Lopez, who has now fled to Spain, in violent clashes last week in the Caracas region that left at least 26 people dead.

“They want to disguise themselves as a democracy,” but “they associate themselves with terrorists,” Maduro said without mentioning Guevara.

“In some of these areas … we have been pardoned for previous reasons, but they have been pardoned … and they immediately join forces to search for terrorists, pay for gangs and prepare for execution,” he said.

Opponents of the United States backed Maduro, calling Maduro a dictator, saying he had re-elected his 2018 election and used legal means to stop protesters. But Maduro, who is still aided by the military, denies that the election took place, and criticized Guaido for plotting to oust him from the US.

‘Threats don’t stop us’

News of Guevara’s arrest is heard, Guaido’s wife Fabiana Rosales sent word online that security forces had entered their home east of Caracas.

Today we live in a time of crisis, siege, persecution, attempts to assassinate the President today in the basement of my house, and the identities of dictators who torture, kill and imprison, today they have fired heavy weapons at my house. pic.twitter.com/jR8pqETrhE

– Fabiana Rosales (@FabiiRosales) July 13, 2021

Journalists arrived at the scene a few minutes later and neighbors gathered around two white, unidentified vehicles loaded with bullet-proof vests and assault rifles, some with balaclavas seated inside.

Some wore hats that said DIE – a Spanish word for police Directorate of Intelligence and Strategy.

Afterwards, a purple Toyota car loaded with police came out of the garage in the basement, leaving the dormitory.

Neighbors opposition leader Juan Guaido waved his arms at an SUV carrying so-called government officials leaving the car while the leader was staying in Caracas, July 12, 2021 [Federico Parra/ AFP]

Guaido then got out of the SUV and told reporters that the men had left. He also said it was not known which branch of security it was.

“They grabbed us and pointed their weapons at us, in the basement,” Guaido said.

The US criticized Guevara and Guaido.

“We strongly condemn the arrest of Venezuelan Congressman Freddy Guevara and the intimidation of former President Juan Guaido in Venezuela,” Julie Chung, the assistant secretary general of the US Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, wrote on Twitter.

He also called on the international community to co-operate in condemning the incident and calling for the release of all prisoners in Venezuela.