Venezuelan Opposition Leaders Returned to House Arrest

The wife of the Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez says he has been returned to house arrest, while Antonio Ledezma once again arrived home on Friday.

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The wife of the Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez says he has been returned to house arrest.

Lilian Tintori sent out a tweet to confirm he was back at home on Saturday night. 

(Text reads: They just transported Leopoldo home. We continue with more conviction and firmness to achieve Peace [sic] and liberty in Venezuela!)

The opposition leader had his house arrest revoked last Tuesday after violating the conditions of the agreement which allowed his freedom under special conditions.

Another opponent of the government,  Antonio Ledezma, was detained at the same time and was returned home on Friday.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice said the fifth and sixth tribunals of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas had verified Lopez and Ledezma’s failure to comply with the conditions of the house arrest.

Lopez had urged Venezuelans to take to the streets and block the roads to prevent the election of the National Constituent Assembly last weekend.

In 2014, after the opposition lost in municipal elections, Lopez led violent guarimbas in an effort to unseat the government.Ledezma was arrested in February 2015 on charges of conspiracy. After spending two months in the military prison at Ramo Verde, he received a “precautionary measure to substitute freedom” for health reasons. He has not yet been convicted.

Despite the mounting death toll and the continued violence, Lopez insisted people should keep trying to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

The unrest led to 43 deaths, with victims of the protests, including the family members of some of those killed, calling for justice.

Lopez was later tried for his role in the violence and sentenced to 13 years and nine months in prison.

Edited by Venezuelanalysis.