Have you been able to have any communication with him since he’s been in American federal prison?
Very little communication.
But you have spoken? You have had communication?
No. I’ve received some messages.
He sends emails or letters or—how?
No, no, just with the lawyers.
And have they told you anything of importance? What have they shared?
He sees what is happening in Venezuela as very positive.
How many people are currently imprisoned for political reasons in Venezuela? There’s a recent report that says it’s down to 389. Is that true?
On the subject of—quote ‘political prisoners’ unquote, it’s a topic with far too many different versions. We passed an amnesty law to address political violence from 1999 to the present. For example, in 2002, there was a coup against President Chávez. In 2014 and 2017, there were very violent protests; people were burned alive, motorcyclists had their throats slit, health centers were set on fire, schools were set on fire. Before the amnesty law, nearly 900 people were released, and with the amnesty law, nearly 9,000 people were released—more than 400 of them with full freedom, while the rest were subject to court-ordered reporting requirements. In parallel with the amnesty law, there has also been a process of granting relief to those who cannot benefit from the law, and there are more than 500 such people.
Read the full article here
