WASHINGTON—The sister of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López said her brother has been framed for homicides and violence for which he had no part. He is currently being held in solitary confinement in the Ramo Verde military prison outside of Caracas, and is not allowed contact with other prisoners.
Before his arrest last year on Feb. 19, López was known for rallying hundreds of thousands of supporters. The 43-year-old Harvard graduate is a former mayor of a Caracas municipality.
Since his arrest, López has become a human rights cause célèbre, and one of Latin America’s most prominent political prisoners. Many Latin American observers said that his stature has grown as the leading opponent of the socialist government of President Nicolás Maduro.
On Feb. 26, marking the anniversary of his incarceration, Adriana López defended her charismatic brother at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.
Adopting the same self-assured and defiant tone of voice as her brother, López said, “I think the [Maduro] government fears anyone who has no fear. … [Leopoldo López] is not afraid to confront the government,” she said.
