Venezuelan Human Rights Advocate Freed Amid Crackdown Concerns

Carlos Correa, a prominent human rights advocate and director of the Venezuelan non-profit Espacio Publico, was released from detention early Thursday, just days after President Nicolas Maduro began his third term, Al Jazeera reports.

Correa’s release comes after a wave of arrests targeting opposition figures and civil society activists.

Espacio Publico announced Correa’s release via social media, stating that he was freed in the early hours of the morning. A respected university professor and expert on free speech, Correa was among several individuals detained ahead of Maduro’s inauguration last Friday.

Amnesty International previously reported that Correa was arbitrarily detained on January 7 by “hooded individuals” in Caracas. The human rights organization demanded his immediate release, along with other detained human rights defenders. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk also publicly called for Correa’s release.

Maduro was sworn in for a third term on January 10, following an election held last year. While Venezuelan electoral authorities declared him the winner, the country’s opposition maintains their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, was victorious.

The inauguration itself followed a brief detention of another opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who was apprehended after leading a protest against Maduro’s rule.

Details surrounding Correa’s detention have been scarce. His wife reported that he was brought before an anti-terrorism court last week, however the specific charges against him and his location of detention were not disclosed.