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Voices across globe express concern over increasing Venezuela arrests after election
- President Nicolas Maduro’s government has arrested 2,000 Venezuelans in the fiercest crackdown of his rule
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![Members of the Bolivarian National police riot squad arresting a man in Caracas, Venezuela last Tuesday. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/05/d8fb6954-31ec-4e9b-bd9d-850ebcaa8a74_c8f5dcce.jpg?itok=f-FcTPvK&v=1722807429)
Voices across the globe expressed concern on Sunday over the growing number of arrests in Venezuela following last weekend’s disputed elections.
Pope Francis said Venezuela is “living a critical situation” in his traditional Sunday remarks at the Vatican, adding: “I appeal to all parties to seek the truth, to avoid all kinds of violence”.
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The remarks came hours after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Saturday that the government has arrested 2,000 opponents. At a rally in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, Maduro pledged to detain more people and send them to prison.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer told CBS programme Face the Nation on Sunday that the Biden administration is worried the arrests could spark wider unrest.
![Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters during a rally in Caracas on Saturday. Photo: AFP Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters during a rally in Caracas on Saturday. Photo: AFP](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/05/7d0b213e-1b92-4c4d-a369-b36311e0725e_e55dd73d.jpg)
“We are concerned about the prospect of instability, should there continue to be these detentions,” Finer said.
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