Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado denounced on Tuesday in Washington that chavism has 'manipulated the situation' in Venezuela and that 'it is not true that they have released the majority of political prisoners,' during a press conference after meeting with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin.
At the exit of the meeting at the OAS headquarters, Machado stated that Venezuelan authorities 'announce that they are going to release someone and then it does not happen,' describing this situation as 'a daily torture for the families' of those waiting to be released.
'Accusations of manipulation and demand for international action'
Machado, who has been internationally recognized for her work in defense of human rights, affirmed that the current situation in Venezuela is testing the Inter-American Charter and the Inter-American System, and pointed out that 'it is time to act' to face the political and human rights crisis in the country.
The opposition leader maintained that a political transition cannot be spoken of while internal repression and the arbitrary detention of opponents persist, emphasizing the need to guarantee the real release of all political prisoners as a fundamental requirement for any path towards democracy.
'Reaction from the international community and human rights'
Machado urged the international community, especially OAS member countries, to pay closer attention to the situation in Venezuela and to act more decisively to protect the human rights of Venezuelans and advance towards a democratic transition.
