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Leopoldo López

November 03, 2023

For other people named Leopoldo López, see Leopoldo López (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second or maternal family name is Mendoza.

Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza (born 29 April 1971) is a Venezuelan opposition leader.[2] He co-founded the political party Primero Justicia in 2000 with Julio Borges. López was elected mayor of the Chacao Municipality of Caracas in the regional elections held in July 2000. He is the National Coordinator of another political party, Voluntad Popular, which he founded in 2009.

Leopoldo López
López in 2012
National Coordinator of Voluntad Popular
Assumed office
5 December 2009
Preceded byPosition established
Mayor of Chacao
In office
July 2000 – 9 December 2008
Preceded byCornelio Popesco
Succeeded byEmilio Graterón
Personal details
Born
Leopoldo Eduardo López Mendoza

(1971-04-29) 29 April 1971 (age 52)
Caracas, Venezuela
Political partyVoluntad Popular
SpouseLilian Tintori
Children3
Alma materThe Hun School of Princeton, New Jersey
Kenyon College
Harvard Kennedy School
OccupationEconomist[1]
Websiteleopoldolopez.com

Administrative sanctions were imposed on López by Venezuela's Comptroller's Office in 2004,[3][4] disqualifying him from holding public office for six years (beginning in 2008, at the completion of his term as mayor, until 2014), following allegations of nepotism and misappropriation of funds. Opposition groups in Venezuela criticized these charges as fabricated.[5][6][7] López supporters say he was never charged with a crime, tried, or allowed to rebut the allegations; he sued Venezuela and his case was reviewed by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which issued a unanimous ruling in his favor. The ruling was ignored by Venezuelan officials.[8][9][10]

During the crisis in Venezuela, he called for protests in February 2014.[11] He was arrested on 18 February 2014 and charged with arson and conspiracy; murder and terrorism charges were dropped. Human rights groups expressed concern that the charges were politically motivated.[12][13] His imprisonment in Ramo Verde was controversial; the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for the release of those arrested in connection with the protests.[14][15] Opinion polls in late 2014 showed that López had become one of the most popular politicians in Venezuela following his arrest.[16] In September 2015, he was found guilty of public incitement to violence through supposed subliminal messages, being involved with criminal association, and was sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in prison.[17][18]

The European Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and several human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and defined it as politically motivated.[19][20][21] Several figures involved with his trial later declared that they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to detain López. Franklin Nieves [es], the prosecutor that accused him, called the judicial process a "farce" and said that Nicolás Maduro pressured him and Public Ministry superiors to defend "false evidence" against López.[22] Ralenis Tovar, the judge that signed the arrest warrant against Leopoldo, declared that she signed the warrant because she felt scared after being threatened with becoming a "second Lourdes Afiuni judge".[23] Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Díaz said that she was pressured by Diosdado Cabello to accuse López of the deaths of Bassil Da Costa and Juan Montoya.[24][25]

He was later transferred to house arrest on 8 July 2017 after being imprisoned for over three years.[26] On 1 August 2017 he was taken from his home by SEBIN agents and was briefly imprisoned once again in Ramo Verde.[27] Since then, López returned home and remained under house arrest from 5 August 2017 until it was reported that López had been released on 30 April 2019,[28] in the wake of the 2019 Venezuelan uprising. As the former attempt to overthrow Maduro's government fell apart, López took refuge as a guest in the Spanish Embassy in Caracas. He fled Venezuela in October 2020.

Personal life and early career edit

López Mendoza was born on 29 April 1971 in Caracas, into a prominent family; his mother Antonieta Mendoza de López was vice president of corporate affairs at the media conglomerate, Cisneros Group,[29] while his father, Leopoldo López Gil, held an executive editorial position at El Nacional[30][31] and became a Member of the European Parliament in 2019.[32] He has two sisters, Diana and Adriana López.[33][34]

López is descended from prominent Venezuelans, including a former president.[35] His mother is the daughter of Eduardo Mendoza Goiticoa, who was Secretary of Agriculture for two years during the Rómulo Betancourt years (1945 to 1948). Through her, López is the great-great-great-grandson of the country's first president, Cristóbal Mendoza. He is also the great-great-grand nephew of Simón Bolívar. Bolivar's sister, Juana Bolivar, is López's great-great-great-great-grandmother, making him one of Bolívar's few living relatives.[36] His great-uncle Rafael Ernesto López Ortega was Minister of Education during the presidency of López Contreras. His grandfather Leopoldo López Ortega and great-uncle Rafael Ernesto López Ortega were both doctors, founders of the Centro Medico of San Bernardino in Caracas.[37] López's cousin is Thor Halvorssen, president of the Human Rights Foundation.[38]

López studied at Colegio Los Arcos and Colegio Santiago de León de Caracas and graduated from boarding school in the US at the Hun School of Princeton, where he was captain of the crew and swim teams, and vice president of the student council.[39] In 1989, López told the student newspaper at the Hun School, The Mall, that "Being away from home created an awakening of the responsibility I have towards the people of my country. I belong to one percent of the privileged people, and achieving a good education will hopefully enable me to do something to help my country." A fellow student described him as being "very good at getting people psyched" on the swimming and crew teams.[40]

In 1993, López graduated from Kenyon College[41] where he received degrees in Economics and Sociology. A college friend said in 2014 that during their student days López had founded a student group called Active Students Helping the Earth Survive.[35] He attended Harvard Kennedy School, where he obtained a Master of Public Policy in 1996.[34]

In 2007, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Kenyon.[42]

On 19 April 2007 he married Lilian Tintori.[43][44] They have three children: Manuela Rafaela, born in 2009;[45] Leopoldo Santiago, born in 2013;[46] and Federica Antonieta, born in 2018.[47] In an interview with Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia, the couple said that they conceived Federica Antonieta in jail during a conjugal visit, in a bathroom, where cockroaches crawled around them.[48]

López worked as an analyst and consultant for the chief economist to the Planning Vice-President of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) between 1996 and 1999; he was a professor of Institutional Economy in the Economics Department at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello.[34]

Political life edit

López cofounded the political party Primero Justicia (Justice First) with Julio Borges in 1992.[49][50] He later moved away from Justice First,[49] having a more leftist-leaning political philosophy and created the Voluntad Popular party, a member of Socialist International.[51]

According to a 2006 article in the Los Angeles Times, the Venezuelan government seemed to have "a full-out campaign" against López starting from 1998.[52] Described by Kenyon College as "hardworking and unpretentious", with "movie-star good looks and a gentle way with people that has made him extremely popular in Chacao, the most affluent of Caracas's five municipalities", he said, "I was born with a lot of privilege in a country with a lot of inequality."[53]

Mayor of Chacao (2000–2008) edit

López was elected mayor of Chacao Municipality in 2000 with 51% of the vote and re-elected in 2004 with 81%.[37] He was praised by constituents "for revamping the public health system and building new public spaces".[35] His term of office saw the opening of the Juan de Dios Guanche school[54] and the Centro Deportivo Eugenio Mendoza,[55] a sports center. Under López, work began on several major construction projects, including the Palos Grandes plaza, the new seat of the Mercado Libre, a new headquarters for the Andrés Bello Education Unit, and a massive underground parking facility.[56] According to a 2010 article in Businessweek magazine, Lopez tried to reorganize the Chacao police force around a new CompStat policing model, implemented with apparent success in a neighboring city of Catia, Caracas, but says that, although "we could do the police management [and] get accurate measurements" in his district, he lacked the support of the attorney general to implement these reforms.[57] The Atlantic described him as having "earned a reputation among local voters and Venezuelans ... for transparent, effective governance".[46]

As mayor, López won first-prize awards from Transparency International in 2007 and 2008 for running the country's most honest and efficient municipal administration.[58] In 2008, he won third place in the World Mayors contest which nominates the "world's most outstanding mayors".[59] The City Mayors Foundation, which sponsors the contest, wrote that "It would be easy to caricature him as the scion of the country’s wealthy elite, standing in the way of Chávez' social justice crusade. But López' record on activism has shown a commitment to promoting legal equality and his constituents speak passionately about a mayor who has delivered on public services and funding new infrastructure."[37]

During events surrounding the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt, NPR said Lopez "orchestrated the public protests against President Hugo Chávez and played a central role in the citizen's arrest of Chavez's interior minister", Ramón Rodríguez Chacín. Lopez later tried to distance himself from that event,[31] maintaining his actions were meant to protect Chacín from an angry mob.[31][60] López did not sign the Carmona Decree drawn up on the day after the 2002 Venezuelan coup attempt, which established a transitional government and dissolved government entities.[52][61]

Target of violence edit

López was affected by violent confrontations multiple times in his political career, including incidents involving gunfire targeting him.[52] In one attack, López's car was fired upon and was left full of bullet holes.[62] In February 2006, a group of armed individuals stormed a university auditorium where López was speaking and took him hostage for six hours.[52] A month later in March 2006, López's bodyguard who was sitting in López's regular seat was shot several times and was killed.[52] In June 2008, after López returned from a visit to Washington, D.C., he was allegedly detained and assaulted by the state intelligence service;[63] the Venezuelan government disputed this account, stating that a member of the Venezuelan National Guard reported López as being responsible for the aggression and presented a video as evidence.[63]

2008 election controversy edit

In an April 2008 ruling announced by Venezuela's chief prosecutor and then upheld by court decision,[64] López and several hundred other Venezuelans were barred from running in the November 2008 elections, for reasons of alleged corruption.[65] Eighty percent of those barred belonged to the opposition.[66] The Venezuelan government's ruling found that in 1998, López, while working for Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and his mother, who was the company's manager of public affairs, awarded a state-funded grant to the Primero Justicia Civil Association, an organization of which López was a member.[67][68] As the best-known banned politician, López contested the sanction, arguing that the right to hold elected office could only be rescinded in the wake of a civil or criminal trial.[66] He said the government had banned opposition candidates ahead of the November 2008 regional elections because it knew they could win.[66]

In June 2008, López brought his case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington, D.C., challenging the claims by stating that none of those punished had been charged, prosecuted and found guilty through due process of law, in direct violation of treatises signed by the Venezuelan government[69] and the Venezuelan constitution.[70] In July, the Commission agreed to hear his case[71] and commented that the two years that had elapsed since López had filed a motion asking the Court to annul the ban constituted an "undue delay".[72]

The IACHR ruled unanimously that Lopez "should be allowed to run for office".[10] Venezuela's Supreme Court (TSJ) declared the ruling "unenforceable", stating that the disqualification from holding public office was a legal sanction, not a political one, and that Lopez was still able to register as a candidate for office and participate in elections.[73][5][74] This ruling barred López from running against Chavez for the following election, which polls indicated López would have won.[75]

Although López and others accused of corruption were never tried or convicted,[65] the Venezuelan government maintained that the administrative disqualification from holding public office was grounded in Article 289 of the Venezuelan Constitution—which grants the comptroller general authority to oversee and regulate public offices, investigate irregularities and apply administrative penalties to persons holding those offices—and Article 105 of the Organic Law of the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic.[76][77][78][79] The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal ruled in August 2008 that the sanction against López and others was constitutional.[80]

Following the decision by the Venezuelan government, multiple organizations criticized the government's ruling as a symptom of its judicial system's lack of independence. The Wall Street Journal stated that six of the seven Supreme Court justices were "sympathetic to the president".[65] The Wall Street Journal also said that the ban "has elicited comparisons to moves by Iran's government preventing opposition politicians from running in elections in that country" and singled López out as "a popular opposition politician who polls say would have a good chance at becoming the mayor of Caracas, one of the most important posts in the country".[65] BBC News called the list of individuals barred from office a "blacklist," noting that there was "little that Mr López and others" could do to participate in the November 2008 elections.[81] The Economist stated that López was the "main apparent target" of the "decision by the auditor-general to ban hundreds of candidates from standing in the state and municipal elections for alleged corruption, even though none has been convicted by the courts".[82] The Carter Center expressed regret that the Venezuelan Supreme Court did not find it feasible to comply with the IACHR's decision.[83] The Human Rights Watch "described political discrimination as a defining feature of Mr. Chávez's presidency," singling out López and the "measure that disqualifies candidates from running for public office because of legal claims against them".[84] The Organization of American States cited the case against López as one of the "factors that contribute to the weakening of the rule of law and democracy in Venezuela."[85] The Associated Press reported that the use of the charges to disqualify López "is a tactic critics say Chavez uses to put his opponents' political ambitions on indefinite hold".[86]

The next day, López and others protested the ruling in a demonstration, until they were blocked in front of a government building.[87]

López again filed a complaint, this time with the Human Rights Commission of the international Mercosur Parliament, on which Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay are represented, and on which Venezuela has observer status.[88] Two members of the commission traveled to Caracas to investigate,[89] but were unable to come to any conclusion because Venezuelan officials refused to meet with them.[84] Three years after the controversy began, López was cleared of all of the charges of corruption.[90]

Voluntad Popular edit

 
López with Voluntad Popular party official, Freddy Guevara in 2011

On 5 December 2009, López launched the political party Voluntad Popular, saying "What we want is to build a new majority from the bottom up - not just through negotiations and agreements between elites. It's a longer road, but for us, it's the only road that gives us possibilities of winning."[91] López described Voluntad Popular as "a social and political, pluralistic and democratic movement" that stood for "the rights of all Venezuelans."[91] An analyst close to López said that he would create political groups and leave them when they grew beyond his control.[92] The party did not have a solid policy platform and mainly served as a vehicle of anti-Chavismo.[92] According to The Guardian, US diplomatic cables at the time (one titled "The López Problem") stated: "He is often described as arrogant, vindictive, and power-hungry – but party officials also concede his popularity, charisma and talent as an organiser".[35]

The same year, regarding education in Venezuela, he called for the creation of grassroots groups, similar to a PTA, in every school to ensure the quality of schools and the education received by children and youth – "A people's network in every school."[93]

2014 protests in Venezuela edit

Further information: 2014 Venezuelan protests
 
Leopoldo López and María Corina Machado, presenting La Salida. Juan Guaidó is behind.

The Economist reported in February 2014 that while Henrique Capriles headed the moderate wing of Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) – the alliance of Venezuelan opposition parties – López headed "the more confrontational wing". Both advocated nonviolence, while López, unlike Capriles, "believe[d] that demonstrations can prompt a change of government".[94] On 12 February 2014, López called on Venezuelans to peacefully protest against the Venezuelan government.[11] The same day, Venezuelan prosecutors, after likening López and protesters to "Nazis",[95] issued an arrest warrant for López on charges including instigation of delinquency, public intimidation, arson of a public building, damage to public property, severe injury, "incitement to riot", homicide, and terrorism.[96][97]

 
A protest in Las Mercedes, Caracas shortly after López was arrested

The day after the warrant was issued, López used Twitter to address Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: "Don't you have the guts to arrest me? Or are you waiting for orders from Havana? I tell you, the truth is on our side."[98] In a late-night nationally televised broadcast on 16 February, according to Reuters, "Maduro told López to hand himself in 'without a show,' and said he had rejected pressure from Washington to drop the case against him." Maduro "said he had ordered three U.S. consular officials to leave the country for conspiring against his government", and declared: "Venezuela doesn't take orders from anyone!"[99]

External video
  López speaking to large crowds of supporters during his arrest. He had to tell protesters to make a path for authorities. on YouTube

On 18 February, López turned himself in to the National Guard[99] in the presence of thousands of cheering supporters, who, like him, wore white as a symbol of nonviolence. He gave a short speech in which he said that he hoped his arrest would awaken Venezuela to the corruption and economic disaster caused by socialist rule. The only alternative to accepting arrest, he said, standing on a statue of Jose Marti, was to "leave the country, and I will never leave Venezuela!"[100] Hours after the arrest, Maduro addressed a cheering crowd of supporters in red, saying that he would not tolerate "psychological warfare" by his opponents and that López must be held responsible for his "treasonous acts".[101] López's wife told CNN that night "that López was in good spirits behind bars" and added: "The last thing he told me was don't forget why this is happening, don't forget why he's going to jail. He's asking for the liberation of political prisoners and students and an end to repression and violence."[100][101][102]

On 20 February, Supervisory Judge Ralenis Tovar Guillén issued a pre-trial detention order against López in response to formal charges of conspiracy, incitement to commit crimes, arson, and damage to public property with the charges ordered by public prosecutor Franklin Nieves.[103] López was formally charged at an arraignment that took place inside a military bus parked outside the prison, a process described by Gutierrez as "very unorthodox".[104]

Imprisonment edit

López was serving a 13-year sentence for crimes including instigation of delinquency, arson, damage to public property, "incitement to riot", and terrorism. The charges have been labeled by organizations or legislative bodies outside of Venezuela as politically motivated. Human rights groups around the globe have called for López' release due to the government's negligent handling of the trial.[105] Since out of nearly 700 total hours of court testimonies the defense spoke for less than three, the trial has been called a farce.[106]

Initial detention edit

 
Detention order against Leopoldo López

López was denied bail and imprisoned at the Ramo Verde military prison outside of Caracas.[12][107] While in prison, his family visited him every week, only being allowed to stay for a few hours and deliver lunch. They had to undergo strict searches by guards. López grew a beard and began learning how to play the cuatro. López, a devout Catholic, was not allowed to attend mass or have a priest visit but has been allowed to have an hour of exercise outside each day.[108]

In July 2014, his wife stated that his visitation rights had been revoked and that he was subjected to psychological torture including isolation.[109][46] It was also reported that prison guards would throw feces against López's jail cell.[110] Chilean lawyer and secretary of a mission of Socialist International, José Antonio Viera-Gallo, stated that in the case of López, Socialist International "confirmed human rights violations against a political leader" giving examples of when López and others trying to communicate with their families, authorities sound loud sirens preventing communication.[111]

On 13 February 2015, armed masked men believed to be military used blowtorches to cut through the bars of Lopez and former mayor Daniel Ceballos' prison cells.[112] In May 2015 López announced he was beginning a hunger strike to protest his detention and the mismanagement of the Maduro government. He has urged other jailed opposition to join, with Daniel Ceballos also participating in the hunger strike.[113][114] Both López and Ceballos ceased the hunger strike after one of their demands, a date set for the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary elections, were set to take place on 6 December 2015.[115]

Trial edit

 
López in Ramo Verde Prison when he was initially detained in 2014

López was set to be tried alongside four students, Marco Coello, Christian Holdack, Ángel González, and Demian Martin. He petitioned the court to release these students, who had been arrested in February. Judge Susana Barreiros ordered the release of all but Christian Holdack.[116] At the beginning of his trial, Lopez's defence was barred from entering the court to present evidence and witnesses.[117] For López's defense, only 1 of 63 witnesses were allowed to be presented in court while over 100 witnesses were allowed to presented for the prosecution.[16] Since López was detained on 18 February 2014, he was held in Ramo Verde Prison while he was tried. López's court dates were on 23 July, 6 August, 13 August and 28 August. At each of those trials, the prosecution presented evidence against López, yet his defense was allegedly not able to present any information or evidence supporting him.[118] After the court session of 28 August, the case was deferred for a third time to 10 September.[119] The 28 August court session was also under the presence of a delegate of the European Union, allegedly due to concerns about the trial's process.[120]

In November 2014, the Venezuelan court rejected the United Nations' request to release López from prison.[121] The United Nations, along with several other organizations and institutions, have criticized the trial due to a lack of due process in the court's handling of the case, as well as a lack of fair hearing for the defense, who had under three hours to defend themselves to the government's 600 hours. The government's use of delays to silence witnesses for the defense, as well as their direct barring of 58 of 60 witnesses, was also condemned.[122][123][124]

On 4 January 2015, in response to US requests to free López, Maduro offered to exchange López "man to man" for Oscar López Rivera, a former FALN member imprisoned in the U.S. for seditious conspiracy, use of force to commit robbery, interstate transportation of firearms, and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property. The Obama administration commuted López Rivera's sentence, with his release in May 2017.[125]

In March 2015, former socialist Prime Minister of Spain Felipe González agreed to take over the defense of López in his trial after his family requested his assistance.[126] In the roughly 700 hours of court testimonies, López's defense was given less than three hours and was not allotted many resources or due process.[127][128]

Sentence edit

If the sentence condemns me you will be more fearful to read it than I will be to hear it, because you know that I'm innocent

— López in pre-sentencing speech, 2015[129]

On 10 September 2015, after spending over a year and a half imprisoned in Ramo Verde, López's trial was set to conclude. According to López's lawyers, Judge Susana Barreiros suddenly finished proceedings the preceding week, with López only permitted to use a few witnesses while the prosecution was granted the use of hundreds of witnesses.[129][130]

At the courthouse, about 200 supporters of López gathered while government supporters grouped together with a band singing folk songs supporting a guilty verdict against López.[129][130] The gatherings grew violent after government supporters attacked López supporters and left them with multiple injuries and one death.[115][130] Before the conclusion of the trial, López addressed the courtroom with a three-hour speech.[129] Judge Susana Barreiros found López guilty and gave him the maximum sentence of 13 years, 9 months, 7 days, and 12 hours in Ramo Verde military prison for public incitement of violence; student movement co-defendants received sentences ranging from 4 and 10 years.[129][130] López was then allowed to spend moments with his family before he was sent back to his isolation cell in Ramo Verde.[129] López's supporters then moved to another part of the city to demonstrate while the banging of pots by other Venezuelans could be heard from their homes.[129]

Controversy and international reaction edit

 
Billboard in Caracas demanding Leopoldo's release.

The European Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and several human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and defined it as politically motivated.[19][20][21] Several figures involved with his trial later declared that they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to detain López.[22]

On 23 October 2015, Franklin Nieves, a prosecutor in López's trial who fled to the United States, stated that the trial was a "farce" and that he was pressured by high officials in the Venezuelan government.[131] Nieves said that Brigadier General Manuel Gregorio Bernal Martinez, then head of SEBIN, was directly ordered by President Maduro to arrest López and others.[131] When Nieves asked for documentation of any crimes, Bernal did not have any but a SEBIN officer created the documents needed to persecute López, with Nieves stating, "They made up those facts in the moment."[131] Nieves also accused Diosdado Cabello, leader of the National Assembly, of directing the López trial as well.[131] Luisa Ortega Díaz, the Chief Prosecutor of Venezuela who reportedly asked prosecutors to build evidence against López, denied Nieves' allegations, saying that "If he was pressured, it was undoubtedly by foreign elements."[131] Luisa Ortega would later say that she was pressured by Diosdado Cabello to accuse López of the deaths of Bassil Da Costa and Juan Montoya.[24][25] Ralenis Tovar, the judge that signed the arrest warrant against Leopoldo, declared that she signed the warrant because she felt scared after being threatened with becoming a "second Lourdes Afiuni judge".[23]

Human rights groups consider López as "Latin America's most prominent political prisoner".[16] Multiple organizations denounced López's detention and published discussions about it in order to bring attention to his arrest.[90] Human Rights Watch said: "The Venezuelan government has openly embraced the classic tactics of an authoritarian regime, jailing its opponents, muzzling the media, and intimidating civil society."[104] HRW further accused the Maduro government of blaming opposition leaders, including López, for violence. The Human Rights Foundation, founded and run by López's first cousin, Thor Halvorssen Mendoza,[38][132] declared López a prisoner of conscience and joined other international organizations in calling for his immediate release. "With López’s imprisonment and the brutally repressive tactics that police, armed forces, and paramilitary groups are using against his supporters, the Venezuelan state has lost any democratic façade it may have had", said HRF chairman Garry Kasparov.[133] Former students from Kenyon College put forth an effort to support López since he was detained and helped create freeleopoldo.com.[90] Editorial columns from The New York Times and The Washington Post have also called for his release.[90]

At the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama called for the release of López saying, "We stand in solidarity with those who are detained at this very moment."[134] The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled in 2014 that López was detained arbitrarily and that the Venezuelan government "violated several of their civil, political and constitutional rights" while demanding his immediate release.[13] The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, called for the immediate release of López and all Venezuelans arrested during the 2014 protests.[135] In November 2014, Socialist International agreed with the UN's ruling, calling López's arrest arbitrary.[111] On 19 December 2014, the chief diplomat of the European Union, Federica Mogherini, said that she was "seriously concerned" about "continuous arbitrary arrests" in Venezuela, with the EU resolution noting that Leopoldo Lopez "suffered physical and psychological torture" and also denounced the situations of opposition mayors Daniel Ceballos and Vicencio Scarano.[136]

The Venezuelan government condemned the statements by the United States and the United Nations demanding them to not interfere in Venezuelan affairs.[137] The Venezuelan government replied to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a letter directed to him stating that it was "senseless" to release López and claimed that Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad's statements were "undoubtedly part of the international media manipulation that has been denounced by the top leadership of the Bolivarian Government".[138]

In 2016, the Dalai Lama supported López, with human rights attorney Tamara Sujú sharing a picture on Twitter of the Dalai Lama stating that he continued to pray for López.[139]

Amnesty International said, "The charges brought against Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López smack of a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent in the country." Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty International Americas Programme Deputy Director, called on Venezuelan authorities to "either present solid evidence to substantiate the charges against López or release him immediately and unconditionally ... Amnesty International has not seen evidence to substantiate these charges. This is an affront to justice and free assembly".[140] After López was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Amnesty International declared that, "Leopoldo López is a prisoner of conscience and should be immediately released without conditions".[14]

Post-trial activity edit

External video
  López shouting from his cell over prison guard whistles while trying to communicate with his mother on YouTube

Days after López was formally sentenced and imprisoned, he wrote an op-ed for The New York Times titled Even in Jail, I Will Fight for a Free Venezuela in which he called for international attention on the state of Venezuela's economy, corruption and crime.[141]

On 26 March 2014, The New York Times published an op-ed by López under the headline "Venezuela's Failing State". Writing from prison, López lamented that for the past fifteen years, "the definition of 'intolerable' in this country has declined". Addressing his incarceration, López wrote that on 12 February, he had "urged Venezuelans to exercise their legal rights to protest and free speech – but to do so peacefully and without violence". López called for "an investigation into fraud committed through our commission for currency exchange", and for "real engagement from the international community, particularly in Latin America". He charged that while international human- rights organizations had been outspoken in condemning Maduro, many of Venezuela's neighbors had responded to his actions with "shameful silence", as had the Organization of American States, which represents nations in the Western Hemisphere.[142]

House arrest edit

López chanting "Sí se puede" with supporters following his release from house arrest

According to López's wife, Lilian Tintori, in early June 2017 he rejected an offer from officials of the Venezuelan government, made during the 2017 Venezuelan protests, which would allow him to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest.[143] Tintori reported that he said other political prisoners should be released before him and that he "had to be last to leave ... [that it was about] liberty for all of Venezuela".[143] A month later, on 8 July 2017, López left Ramo Verde and was taken home in the company of two Bolivarian officials, Delcy Rodriguez and her brother Jorge Rodriguez, at 3:00am VST.[144][145][146] He was placed under house arrest by Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which cited case "irregularities" and health reasons for López's release; Reuters reports that the Bolivarian government "seems to be calculating that his return home may ease domestic protests".[146]

Following the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election which granted the Bolivarian government much more authority over Venezuela, SEBIN agents arrived at López's home in the early hours of 1 August 2017, and took him back to prison.[27] But on 5 August 2017, Venezuelan authorities again released López to house arrest.[147] Since then, López has remained under house arrest. According to López, SEBIN agents have been taking a picture of him with a copy of the day's newspaper every day since his return to house arrest.[148] In October 2017, the head of a private security team guarding López and his home was arrested; he has not been seen since.[148] On 17 November 2017, SEBIN officials reinforced the surveillance of López's house, after the former mayor of Caracas, who was in the same situation, fled on the same day to Colombia.[149]

Release edit

See also: 2019 Venezuelan uprising
 
López beside a pro-Guaidó soldier following his release during the 2019 Venezuela uprising

López was released from house arrest on the morning of 30 April during the 2019 Venezuela uprising, with the assistance of defecting armed forces supportive of Juan Guaidó.[150] Later in the day, López and his immediate family entered the Chilean Embassy in Caracas,[151] but moved to the Spanish Embassy in the early hours of 1 May 2019.[152] According to Roberto Ampuero of the Chilean Foreign Ministry, López and his family moved to the Spanish Embassy after a "personal decision", noting that López and his wife both have Spanish ancestry.[153] On 2 May 2019, the Supreme Tribunal issued an arrest warrant for López, who exited the gates of the Spanish Embassy, with his wife Lilian Tintori, to speak with reporters, saying that Maduro's days were numbered.[154] The Spanish government announced that Lopez would not be handed over to Venezuelan authorities.[155]

Escape from Spanish Embassy edit

On 24 October 2020, top Venezuelan opposition officials said López had fled Venezuela. López, who is a political mentor to opposition leader Juan Guaidó, had taken refuge in the Spanish ambassador's residence in Caracas since fleeing house arrest after the failure of a military uprising to overthrow Maduro in April 2019.[156]

His political allies and his father said López made his way across the border into Colombia, after spending more than a year inside the Spanish Embassy.[157] López’s escape was first reported by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.[158][159] A Spanish government source said his arrival in Spain, where his wife now lives, was "imminent." The Spanish foreign ministry said on Twitter that Lopez's decision to leave was "voluntary and personal."[160] López arrived in Madrid on 25 October,[161] and had a meeting with the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, on 27 October.[162][163]

Exile edit

While living in exile, during a press conference in the Círculo de Bellas Artes, in Madrid, in October 2020 López expressed that his goal now was to have "free and transparent" elections in Venezuela, saying that "we want for Venezuela the same as in Bolivia", referring to the 2020 Bolivian elections, where the Movement for Socialism (MAS) candidate Luis Arce was elected president.[164] In exile, López has also declared that "for a transition to be viable" support from the "Maduro regime" was needed,[165] citing as examples South Africa, Eastern Europe and Spain,[165][166] but saying that those who have committed human right abuses or crimes against humanity should not be included.[165]

On 9 December 2020, Leopoldo López started a tour in Latin America, travelling to Colombia and seeking to "strengthen" an "international front" against Nicolás Maduro, after the Venezuelan parliamentary election that year, which he considered fradulent.[167][168] The following day López met with Colombian President Iván Duque, and on 11 December he travelled to Cúcuta to meet Venezuelan migrants living in the border and learn about their problems.[169] On 22 May 2021, having travelled to Ecuador, López met with the mayor of Guayaquil, Cynthia Viteri, to discuss about the regularization of the Venezuelan diaspora and to recognize both expired Venezuelan passports and other documents. The following day López met with the president of the National Assembly of Ecuador, Guadalupe Llori, who on 24 May would be in charge of inaugurating president elect Guillermo Lasso.[170] He travelled later to Peru, during the Peruvian general election, and on 29 May participated in a political panel with politicians and businesspeople related to right-wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, daughter of Alberto Fujimori, saying that Fujimori represented "freedom" and "democracy" while he characterized her opponent Pedro Castillo as supporting "dictatorship" and "communism". López criticized Castillo for openly declaring that Venezuela was a full democracy and said that he opined about the Peruvian elections because there were a million Venezuelans living in the country, and that their results would affect the region, including Venezuela.[171][172] On 23 June, after travelling to the United States and meeting with Republican senator Rick Scott, López declared that the United States would not lift sanctions "without significant advances".[173] In December, during the 2021 Chilean presidential election, López met with far-right candidate José Antonio Kast, endorsing him.[172][174]

Awards and honors edit

  • 2007 – Kenyon College Honoris Causa Doctorate Law.[42]
  • 2007, 2008 – Premio Transparencia Award, to the most transparent city mayor of Venezuela, granted by the Venezuela branch of Transparency International.[58]
  • 2008 – Third place, World Mayor Project, for being a "hands-on mayor as well as a national politician fighting for democratic openness and fairness in Venezuela".[59]
  • 2009 – The Most Innovative People Award for Resiliency from the Future Capitals World Summit.[175][176]
  • 2014 – Harvard University Alumni Achievement Award for the support of democracy and transparency in Venezuela.[177]
  • 2014 – Foreign Policy listed López in its Leading Global Thinkers of 2014 publication.[178]
  • 2015 – National Endowment for Democracy awarded López its Democracy Award in May 2015.[179]
  • 2015 – Cádiz Cortes Ibero-American Freedom Prize was awarded "given the unblemished defense of freedom in your community and minimum requirements of the realization of human rights in the same, which has led them to be subject to public rebuke of their government, including the flagrant situation of imprisonment or the cutting of your minimal civil rights".[180]
  • 2015 – One of Spain ABC's Ten Faces in the World in 2015.[181]
  • 2016 – Courage Award, Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, shared with Antonio Ledezma, "for inspiring the world with their extraordinary courage in the defense of liberty and universal human rights".[182]
  • 2017 – Florida Medal of Freedom awarded by Governor of Florida, Rick Scott.[183]
  • 2017 - Sakharov Prize, along with the Venezuelan opposition.[184]
  • 2018 – Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize[185]

Publications edit

  • Leopoldo López, Gustavo Baquero (2017). VENEZUELA ENERGÉTICA: Propuesta para el bienestar y progreso de los venezolanos (La Hoja del Norte) (in Spanish). Cyngular Asesoría 357, C.A. / Editorial Dahbar. ISBN 978-9804250163.

Notes edit

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External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leopoldo López.
  • Official website (in Spanish)
  • New York Times: Leopoldo Lopez interview (February 2018)

November 03, 2023
leopoldo, lópez, other, people, named, disambiguation, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, lópez, second, maternal, family, name, mendoza, leopoldo, eduardo, lópez, mendoza, born, april, 1971, venezuelan, opposition, leader, founded, political, part. For other people named Leopoldo Lopez see Leopoldo Lopez disambiguation In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Lopez and the second or maternal family name is Mendoza Leopoldo Eduardo Lopez Mendoza born 29 April 1971 is a Venezuelan opposition leader 2 He co founded the political party Primero Justicia in 2000 with Julio Borges Lopez was elected mayor of the Chacao Municipality of Caracas in the regional elections held in July 2000 He is the National Coordinator of another political party Voluntad Popular which he founded in 2009 Leopoldo LopezLopez in 2012National Coordinator of Voluntad PopularIncumbentAssumed office 5 December 2009Preceded byPosition establishedMayor of ChacaoIn office July 2000 9 December 2008Preceded byCornelio PopescoSucceeded byEmilio GrateronPersonal detailsBornLeopoldo Eduardo Lopez Mendoza 1971 04 29 29 April 1971 age 52 Caracas VenezuelaPolitical partyVoluntad PopularSpouseLilian TintoriChildren3Alma materThe Hun School of Princeton New JerseyKenyon CollegeHarvard Kennedy SchoolOccupationEconomist 1 Websiteleopoldolopez comAdministrative sanctions were imposed on Lopez by Venezuela s Comptroller s Office in 2004 3 4 disqualifying him from holding public office for six years beginning in 2008 at the completion of his term as mayor until 2014 following allegations of nepotism and misappropriation of funds Opposition groups in Venezuela criticized these charges as fabricated 5 6 7 Lopez supporters say he was never charged with a crime tried or allowed to rebut the allegations he sued Venezuela and his case was reviewed by the Inter American Court of Human Rights which issued a unanimous ruling in his favor The ruling was ignored by Venezuelan officials 8 9 10 During the crisis in Venezuela he called for protests in February 2014 11 He was arrested on 18 February 2014 and charged with arson and conspiracy murder and terrorism charges were dropped Human rights groups expressed concern that the charges were politically motivated 12 13 His imprisonment in Ramo Verde was controversial the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for the release of those arrested in connection with the protests 14 15 Opinion polls in late 2014 showed that Lopez had become one of the most popular politicians in Venezuela following his arrest 16 In September 2015 he was found guilty of public incitement to violence through supposed subliminal messages being involved with criminal association and was sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in prison 17 18 The European Union Amnesty International Human Rights Watch and several human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and defined it as politically motivated 19 20 21 Several figures involved with his trial later declared that they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to detain Lopez Franklin Nieves es the prosecutor that accused him called the judicial process a farce and said that Nicolas Maduro pressured him and Public Ministry superiors to defend false evidence against Lopez 22 Ralenis Tovar the judge that signed the arrest warrant against Leopoldo declared that she signed the warrant because she felt scared after being threatened with becoming a second Lourdes Afiuni judge 23 Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz said that she was pressured by Diosdado Cabello to accuse Lopez of the deaths of Bassil Da Costa and Juan Montoya 24 25 He was later transferred to house arrest on 8 July 2017 after being imprisoned for over three years 26 On 1 August 2017 he was taken from his home by SEBIN agents and was briefly imprisoned once again in Ramo Verde 27 Since then Lopez returned home and remained under house arrest from 5 August 2017 until it was reported that Lopez had been released on 30 April 2019 28 in the wake of the 2019 Venezuelan uprising As the former attempt to overthrow Maduro s government fell apart Lopez took refuge as a guest in the Spanish Embassy in Caracas He fled Venezuela in October 2020 Contents 1 Personal life and early career 2 Political life 2 1 Mayor of Chacao 2000 2008 2 2 Target of violence 2 3 2008 election controversy 2 4 Voluntad Popular 2 5 2014 protests in Venezuela 3 Imprisonment 3 1 Initial detention 3 2 Trial 3 2 1 Sentence 3 2 2 Controversy and international reaction 3 3 Post trial activity 3 3 1 House arrest 3 3 2 Release 3 4 Escape from Spanish Embassy 4 Exile 5 Awards and honors 6 Publications 7 Notes 8 External linksPersonal life and early career editLopez Mendoza was born on 29 April 1971 in Caracas into a prominent family his mother Antonieta Mendoza de Lopez was vice president of corporate affairs at the media conglomerate Cisneros Group 29 while his father Leopoldo Lopez Gil held an executive editorial position at El Nacional 30 31 and became a Member of the European Parliament in 2019 32 He has two sisters Diana and Adriana Lopez 33 34 Lopez is descended from prominent Venezuelans including a former president 35 His mother is the daughter of Eduardo Mendoza Goiticoa who was Secretary of Agriculture for two years during the Romulo Betancourt years 1945 to 1948 Through her Lopez is the great great great grandson of the country s first president Cristobal Mendoza He is also the great great grand nephew of Simon Bolivar Bolivar s sister Juana Bolivar is Lopez s great great great great grandmother making him one of Bolivar s few living relatives 36 His great uncle Rafael Ernesto Lopez Ortega was Minister of Education during the presidency of Lopez Contreras His grandfather Leopoldo Lopez Ortega and great uncle Rafael Ernesto Lopez Ortega were both doctors founders of the Centro Medico of San Bernardino in Caracas 37 Lopez s cousin is Thor Halvorssen president of the Human Rights Foundation 38 Lopez studied at Colegio Los Arcos and Colegio Santiago de Leon de Caracas and graduated from boarding school in the US at the Hun School of Princeton where he was captain of the crew and swim teams and vice president of the student council 39 In 1989 Lopez told the student newspaper at the Hun School The Mall that Being away from home created an awakening of the responsibility I have towards the people of my country I belong to one percent of the privileged people and achieving a good education will hopefully enable me to do something to help my country A fellow student described him as being very good at getting people psyched on the swimming and crew teams 40 In 1993 Lopez graduated from Kenyon College 41 where he received degrees in Economics and Sociology A college friend said in 2014 that during their student days Lopez had founded a student group called Active Students Helping the Earth Survive 35 He attended Harvard Kennedy School where he obtained a Master of Public Policy in 1996 34 In 2007 he received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Kenyon 42 On 19 April 2007 he married Lilian Tintori 43 44 They have three children Manuela Rafaela born in 2009 45 Leopoldo Santiago born in 2013 46 and Federica Antonieta born in 2018 47 In an interview with Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia the couple said that they conceived Federica Antonieta in jail during a conjugal visit in a bathroom where cockroaches crawled around them 48 Lopez worked as an analyst and consultant for the chief economist to the Planning Vice President of Petroleos de Venezuela S A PDVSA between 1996 and 1999 he was a professor of Institutional Economy in the Economics Department at Universidad Catolica Andres Bello 34 Political life editLopez cofounded the political party Primero Justicia Justice First with Julio Borges in 1992 49 50 He later moved away from Justice First 49 having a more leftist leaning political philosophy and created the Voluntad Popular party a member of Socialist International 51 According to a 2006 article in the Los Angeles Times the Venezuelan government seemed to have a full out campaign against Lopez starting from 1998 52 Described by Kenyon College as hardworking and unpretentious with movie star good looks and a gentle way with people that has made him extremely popular in Chacao the most affluent of Caracas s five municipalities he said I was born with a lot of privilege in a country with a lot of inequality 53 Mayor of Chacao 2000 2008 edit Lopez was elected mayor of Chacao Municipality in 2000 with 51 of the vote and re elected in 2004 with 81 37 He was praised by constituents for revamping the public health system and building new public spaces 35 His term of office saw the opening of the Juan de Dios Guanche school 54 and the Centro Deportivo Eugenio Mendoza 55 a sports center Under Lopez work began on several major construction projects including the Palos Grandes plaza the new seat of the Mercado Libre a new headquarters for the Andres Bello Education Unit and a massive underground parking facility 56 According to a 2010 article in Businessweek magazine Lopez tried to reorganize the Chacao police force around a new CompStat policing model implemented with apparent success in a neighboring city of Catia Caracas but says that although we could do the police management and get accurate measurements in his district he lacked the support of the attorney general to implement these reforms 57 The Atlantic described him as having earned a reputation among local voters and Venezuelans for transparent effective governance 46 As mayor Lopez won first prize awards from Transparency International in 2007 and 2008 for running the country s most honest and efficient municipal administration 58 In 2008 he won third place in the World Mayors contest which nominates the world s most outstanding mayors 59 The City Mayors Foundation which sponsors the contest wrote that It would be easy to caricature him as the scion of the country s wealthy elite standing in the way of Chavez social justice crusade But Lopez record on activism has shown a commitment to promoting legal equality and his constituents speak passionately about a mayor who has delivered on public services and funding new infrastructure 37 During events surrounding the 2002 Venezuelan coup d etat attempt NPR said Lopez orchestrated the public protests against President Hugo Chavez and played a central role in the citizen s arrest of Chavez s interior minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin Lopez later tried to distance himself from that event 31 maintaining his actions were meant to protect Chacin from an angry mob 31 60 Lopez did not sign the Carmona Decree drawn up on the day after the 2002 Venezuelan coup attempt which established a transitional government and dissolved government entities 52 61 Target of violence edit Lopez was affected by violent confrontations multiple times in his political career including incidents involving gunfire targeting him 52 In one attack Lopez s car was fired upon and was left full of bullet holes 62 In February 2006 a group of armed individuals stormed a university auditorium where Lopez was speaking and took him hostage for six hours 52 A month later in March 2006 Lopez s bodyguard who was sitting in Lopez s regular seat was shot several times and was killed 52 In June 2008 after Lopez returned from a visit to Washington D C he was allegedly detained and assaulted by the state intelligence service 63 the Venezuelan government disputed this account stating that a member of the Venezuelan National Guard reported Lopez as being responsible for the aggression and presented a video as evidence 63 2008 election controversy edit In an April 2008 ruling announced by Venezuela s chief prosecutor and then upheld by court decision 64 Lopez and several hundred other Venezuelans were barred from running in the November 2008 elections for reasons of alleged corruption 65 Eighty percent of those barred belonged to the opposition 66 The Venezuelan government s ruling found that in 1998 Lopez while working for Petroleos de Venezuela S A PDVSA and his mother who was the company s manager of public affairs awarded a state funded grant to the Primero Justicia Civil Association an organization of which Lopez was a member 67 68 As the best known banned politician Lopez contested the sanction arguing that the right to hold elected office could only be rescinded in the wake of a civil or criminal trial 66 He said the government had banned opposition candidates ahead of the November 2008 regional elections because it knew they could win 66 In June 2008 Lopez brought his case to the Inter American Commission on Human Rights IACHR in Washington D C challenging the claims by stating that none of those punished had been charged prosecuted and found guilty through due process of law in direct violation of treatises signed by the Venezuelan government 69 and the Venezuelan constitution 70 In July the Commission agreed to hear his case 71 and commented that the two years that had elapsed since Lopez had filed a motion asking the Court to annul the ban constituted an undue delay 72 The IACHR ruled unanimously that Lopez should be allowed to run for office 10 Venezuela s Supreme Court TSJ declared the ruling unenforceable stating that the disqualification from holding public office was a legal sanction not a political one and that Lopez was still able to register as a candidate for office and participate in elections 73 5 74 This ruling barred Lopez from running against Chavez for the following election which polls indicated Lopez would have won 75 Although Lopez and others accused of corruption were never tried or convicted 65 the Venezuelan government maintained that the administrative disqualification from holding public office was grounded in Article 289 of the Venezuelan Constitution which grants the comptroller general authority to oversee and regulate public offices investigate irregularities and apply administrative penalties to persons holding those offices and Article 105 of the Organic Law of the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic 76 77 78 79 The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal ruled in August 2008 that the sanction against Lopez and others was constitutional 80 Following the decision by the Venezuelan government multiple organizations criticized the government s ruling as a symptom of its judicial system s lack of independence The Wall Street Journal stated that six of the seven Supreme Court justices were sympathetic to the president 65 The Wall Street Journal also said that the ban has elicited comparisons to moves by Iran s government preventing opposition politicians from running in elections in that country and singled Lopez out as a popular opposition politician who polls say would have a good chance at becoming the mayor of Caracas one of the most important posts in the country 65 BBC News called the list of individuals barred from office a blacklist noting that there was little that Mr Lopez and others could do to participate in the November 2008 elections 81 The Economist stated that Lopez was the main apparent target of the decision by the auditor general to ban hundreds of candidates from standing in the state and municipal elections for alleged corruption even though none has been convicted by the courts 82 The Carter Center expressed regret that the Venezuelan Supreme Court did not find it feasible to comply with the IACHR s decision 83 The Human Rights Watch described political discrimination as a defining feature of Mr Chavez s presidency singling out Lopez and the measure that disqualifies candidates from running for public office because of legal claims against them 84 The Organization of American States cited the case against Lopez as one of the factors that contribute to the weakening of the rule of law and democracy in Venezuela 85 The Associated Press reported that the use of the charges to disqualify Lopez is a tactic critics say Chavez uses to put his opponents political ambitions on indefinite hold 86 The next day Lopez and others protested the ruling in a demonstration until they were blocked in front of a government building 87 Lopez again filed a complaint this time with the Human Rights Commission of the international Mercosur Parliament on which Argentina Brazil Paraguay and Uruguay are represented and on which Venezuela has observer status 88 Two members of the commission traveled to Caracas to investigate 89 but were unable to come to any conclusion because Venezuelan officials refused to meet with them 84 Three years after the controversy began Lopez was cleared of all of the charges of corruption 90 Voluntad Popular edit nbsp Lopez with Voluntad Popular party official Freddy Guevara in 2011On 5 December 2009 Lopez launched the political party Voluntad Popular saying What we want is to build a new majority from the bottom up not just through negotiations and agreements between elites It s a longer road but for us it s the only road that gives us possibilities of winning 91 Lopez described Voluntad Popular as a social and political pluralistic and democratic movement that stood for the rights of all Venezuelans 91 An analyst close to Lopez said that he would create political groups and leave them when they grew beyond his control 92 The party did not have a solid policy platform and mainly served as a vehicle of anti Chavismo 92 According to The Guardian US diplomatic cables at the time one titled The Lopez Problem stated He is often described as arrogant vindictive and power hungry but party officials also concede his popularity charisma and talent as an organiser 35 The same year regarding education in Venezuela he called for the creation of grassroots groups similar to a PTA in every school to ensure the quality of schools and the education received by children and youth A people s network in every school 93 2014 protests in Venezuela edit Further information 2014 Venezuelan protests nbsp Leopoldo Lopez and Maria Corina Machado presenting La Salida Juan Guaido is behind The Economist reported in February 2014 that while Henrique Capriles headed the moderate wing of Democratic Unity Roundtable MUD the alliance of Venezuelan opposition parties Lopez headed the more confrontational wing Both advocated nonviolence while Lopez unlike Capriles believe d that demonstrations can prompt a change of government 94 On 12 February 2014 Lopez called on Venezuelans to peacefully protest against the Venezuelan government 11 The same day Venezuelan prosecutors after likening Lopez and protesters to Nazis 95 issued an arrest warrant for Lopez on charges including instigation of delinquency public intimidation arson of a public building damage to public property severe injury incitement to riot homicide and terrorism 96 97 nbsp A protest in Las Mercedes Caracas shortly after Lopez was arrestedThe day after the warrant was issued Lopez used Twitter to address Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Don t you have the guts to arrest me Or are you waiting for orders from Havana I tell you the truth is on our side 98 In a late night nationally televised broadcast on 16 February according to Reuters Maduro told Lopez to hand himself in without a show and said he had rejected pressure from Washington to drop the case against him Maduro said he had ordered three U S consular officials to leave the country for conspiring against his government and declared Venezuela doesn t take orders from anyone 99 External video nbsp Lopez speaking to large crowds of supporters during his arrest He had to tell protesters to make a path for authorities on YouTubeOn 18 February Lopez turned himself in to the National Guard 99 in the presence of thousands of cheering supporters who like him wore white as a symbol of nonviolence He gave a short speech in which he said that he hoped his arrest would awaken Venezuela to the corruption and economic disaster caused by socialist rule The only alternative to accepting arrest he said standing on a statue of Jose Marti was to leave the country and I will never leave Venezuela 100 Hours after the arrest Maduro addressed a cheering crowd of supporters in red saying that he would not tolerate psychological warfare by his opponents and that Lopez must be held responsible for his treasonous acts 101 Lopez s wife told CNN that night that Lopez was in good spirits behind bars and added The last thing he told me was don t forget why this is happening don t forget why he s going to jail He s asking for the liberation of political prisoners and students and an end to repression and violence 100 101 102 On 20 February Supervisory Judge Ralenis Tovar Guillen issued a pre trial detention order against Lopez in response to formal charges of conspiracy incitement to commit crimes arson and damage to public property with the charges ordered by public prosecutor Franklin Nieves 103 Lopez was formally charged at an arraignment that took place inside a military bus parked outside the prison a process described by Gutierrez as very unorthodox 104 Imprisonment editLopez was serving a 13 year sentence for crimes including instigation of delinquency arson damage to public property incitement to riot and terrorism The charges have been labeled by organizations or legislative bodies outside of Venezuela as politically motivated Human rights groups around the globe have called for Lopez release due to the government s negligent handling of the trial 105 Since out of nearly 700 total hours of court testimonies the defense spoke for less than three the trial has been called a farce 106 Initial detention edit nbsp Detention order against Leopoldo LopezLopez was denied bail and imprisoned at the Ramo Verde military prison outside of Caracas 12 107 While in prison his family visited him every week only being allowed to stay for a few hours and deliver lunch They had to undergo strict searches by guards Lopez grew a beard and began learning how to play the cuatro Lopez a devout Catholic was not allowed to attend mass or have a priest visit but has been allowed to have an hour of exercise outside each day 108 In July 2014 his wife stated that his visitation rights had been revoked and that he was subjected to psychological torture including isolation 109 46 It was also reported that prison guards would throw feces against Lopez s jail cell 110 Chilean lawyer and secretary of a mission of Socialist International Jose Antonio Viera Gallo stated that in the case of Lopez Socialist International confirmed human rights violations against a political leader giving examples of when Lopez and others trying to communicate with their families authorities sound loud sirens preventing communication 111 On 13 February 2015 armed masked men believed to be military used blowtorches to cut through the bars of Lopez and former mayor Daniel Ceballos prison cells 112 In May 2015 Lopez announced he was beginning a hunger strike to protest his detention and the mismanagement of the Maduro government He has urged other jailed opposition to join with Daniel Ceballos also participating in the hunger strike 113 114 Both Lopez and Ceballos ceased the hunger strike after one of their demands a date set for the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary elections were set to take place on 6 December 2015 115 Trial edit nbsp Lopez in Ramo Verde Prison when he was initially detained in 2014Lopez was set to be tried alongside four students Marco Coello Christian Holdack Angel Gonzalez and Demian Martin He petitioned the court to release these students who had been arrested in February Judge Susana Barreiros ordered the release of all but Christian Holdack 116 At the beginning of his trial Lopez s defence was barred from entering the court to present evidence and witnesses 117 For Lopez s defense only 1 of 63 witnesses were allowed to be presented in court while over 100 witnesses were allowed to presented for the prosecution 16 Since Lopez was detained on 18 February 2014 he was held in Ramo Verde Prison while he was tried Lopez s court dates were on 23 July 6 August 13 August and 28 August At each of those trials the prosecution presented evidence against Lopez yet his defense was allegedly not able to present any information or evidence supporting him 118 After the court session of 28 August the case was deferred for a third time to 10 September 119 The 28 August court session was also under the presence of a delegate of the European Union allegedly due to concerns about the trial s process 120 In November 2014 the Venezuelan court rejected the United Nations request to release Lopez from prison 121 The United Nations along with several other organizations and institutions have criticized the trial due to a lack of due process in the court s handling of the case as well as a lack of fair hearing for the defense who had under three hours to defend themselves to the government s 600 hours The government s use of delays to silence witnesses for the defense as well as their direct barring of 58 of 60 witnesses was also condemned 122 123 124 On 4 January 2015 in response to US requests to free Lopez Maduro offered to exchange Lopez man to man for Oscar Lopez Rivera a former FALN member imprisoned in the U S for seditious conspiracy use of force to commit robbery interstate transportation of firearms and conspiracy to transport explosives with intent to destroy government property The Obama administration commuted Lopez Rivera s sentence with his release in May 2017 125 In March 2015 former socialist Prime Minister of Spain Felipe Gonzalez agreed to take over the defense of Lopez in his trial after his family requested his assistance 126 In the roughly 700 hours of court testimonies Lopez s defense was given less than three hours and was not allotted many resources or due process 127 128 Sentence edit If the sentence condemns me you will be more fearful to read it than I will be to hear it because you know that I m innocent Lopez in pre sentencing speech 2015 129 On 10 September 2015 after spending over a year and a half imprisoned in Ramo Verde Lopez s trial was set to conclude According to Lopez s lawyers Judge Susana Barreiros suddenly finished proceedings the preceding week with Lopez only permitted to use a few witnesses while the prosecution was granted the use of hundreds of witnesses 129 130 At the courthouse about 200 supporters of Lopez gathered while government supporters grouped together with a band singing folk songs supporting a guilty verdict against Lopez 129 130 The gatherings grew violent after government supporters attacked Lopez supporters and left them with multiple injuries and one death 115 130 Before the conclusion of the trial Lopez addressed the courtroom with a three hour speech 129 Judge Susana Barreiros found Lopez guilty and gave him the maximum sentence of 13 years 9 months 7 days and 12 hours in Ramo Verde military prison for public incitement of violence student movement co defendants received sentences ranging from 4 and 10 years 129 130 Lopez was then allowed to spend moments with his family before he was sent back to his isolation cell in Ramo Verde 129 Lopez s supporters then moved to another part of the city to demonstrate while the banging of pots by other Venezuelans could be heard from their homes 129 Controversy and international reaction edit nbsp Billboard in Caracas demanding Leopoldo s release The European Union Amnesty International Human Rights Watch and several human rights organizations have condemned the arrest and defined it as politically motivated 19 20 21 Several figures involved with his trial later declared that they were pressured by the Venezuelan government to detain Lopez 22 On 23 October 2015 Franklin Nieves a prosecutor in Lopez s trial who fled to the United States stated that the trial was a farce and that he was pressured by high officials in the Venezuelan government 131 Nieves said that Brigadier General Manuel Gregorio Bernal Martinez then head of SEBIN was directly ordered by President Maduro to arrest Lopez and others 131 When Nieves asked for documentation of any crimes Bernal did not have any but a SEBIN officer created the documents needed to persecute Lopez with Nieves stating They made up those facts in the moment 131 Nieves also accused Diosdado Cabello leader of the National Assembly of directing the Lopez trial as well 131 Luisa Ortega Diaz the Chief Prosecutor of Venezuela who reportedly asked prosecutors to build evidence against Lopez denied Nieves allegations saying that If he was pressured it was undoubtedly by foreign elements 131 Luisa Ortega would later say that she was pressured by Diosdado Cabello to accuse Lopez of the deaths of Bassil Da Costa and Juan Montoya 24 25 Ralenis Tovar the judge that signed the arrest warrant against Leopoldo declared that she signed the warrant because she felt scared after being threatened with becoming a second Lourdes Afiuni judge 23 Human rights groups consider Lopez as Latin America s most prominent political prisoner 16 Multiple organizations denounced Lopez s detention and published discussions about it in order to bring attention to his arrest 90 Human Rights Watch said The Venezuelan government has openly embraced the classic tactics of an authoritarian regime jailing its opponents muzzling the media and intimidating civil society 104 HRW further accused the Maduro government of blaming opposition leaders including Lopez for violence The Human Rights Foundation founded and run by Lopez s first cousin Thor Halvorssen Mendoza 38 132 declared Lopez a prisoner of conscience and joined other international organizations in calling for his immediate release With Lopez s imprisonment and the brutally repressive tactics that police armed forces and paramilitary groups are using against his supporters the Venezuelan state has lost any democratic facade it may have had said HRF chairman Garry Kasparov 133 Former students from Kenyon College put forth an effort to support Lopez since he was detained and helped create freeleopoldo com 90 Editorial columns from The New York Times and The Washington Post have also called for his release 90 At the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative meeting U S President Barack Obama called for the release of Lopez saying We stand in solidarity with those who are detained at this very moment 134 The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled in 2014 that Lopez was detained arbitrarily and that the Venezuelan government violated several of their civil political and constitutional rights while demanding his immediate release 13 The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra ad Al Hussein called for the immediate release of Lopez and all Venezuelans arrested during the 2014 protests 135 In November 2014 Socialist International agreed with the UN s ruling calling Lopez s arrest arbitrary 111 On 19 December 2014 the chief diplomat of the European Union Federica Mogherini said that she was seriously concerned about continuous arbitrary arrests in Venezuela with the EU resolution noting that Leopoldo Lopez suffered physical and psychological torture and also denounced the situations of opposition mayors Daniel Ceballos and Vicencio Scarano 136 The Venezuelan government condemned the statements by the United States and the United Nations demanding them to not interfere in Venezuelan affairs 137 The Venezuelan government replied to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a letter directed to him stating that it was senseless to release Lopez and claimed that Prince Zeid bin Ra ad s statements were undoubtedly part of the international media manipulation that has been denounced by the top leadership of the Bolivarian Government 138 In 2016 the Dalai Lama supported Lopez with human rights attorney Tamara Suju sharing a picture on Twitter of the Dalai Lama stating that he continued to pray for Lopez 139 Amnesty International said The charges brought against Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez smack of a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent in the country Guadalupe Marengo Amnesty International Americas Programme Deputy Director called on Venezuelan authorities to either present solid evidence to substantiate the charges against Lopez or release him immediately and unconditionally Amnesty International has not seen evidence to substantiate these charges This is an affront to justice and free assembly 140 After Lopez was sentenced to 13 years in prison Amnesty International declared that Leopoldo Lopez is a prisoner of conscience and should be immediately released without conditions 14 Post trial activity edit External video nbsp Lopez shouting from his cell over prison guard whistles while trying to communicate with his mother on YouTubeDays after Lopez was formally sentenced and imprisoned he wrote an op ed for The New York Times titled Even in Jail I Will Fight for a Free Venezuela in which he called for international attention on the state of Venezuela s economy corruption and crime 141 On 26 March 2014 The New York Times published an op ed by Lopez under the headline Venezuela s Failing State Writing from prison Lopez lamented that for the past fifteen years the definition of intolerable in this country has declined Addressing his incarceration Lopez wrote that on 12 February he had urged Venezuelans to exercise their legal rights to protest and free speech but to do so peacefully and without violence Lopez called for an investigation into fraud committed through our commission for currency exchange and for real engagement from the international community particularly in Latin America He charged that while international human rights organizations had been outspoken in condemning Maduro many of Venezuela s neighbors had responded to his actions with shameful silence as had the Organization of American States which represents nations in the Western Hemisphere 142 House arrest edit source source source source source source Lopez chanting Si se puede with supporters following his release from house arrestAccording to Lopez s wife Lilian Tintori in early June 2017 he rejected an offer from officials of the Venezuelan government made during the 2017 Venezuelan protests which would allow him to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest 143 Tintori reported that he said other political prisoners should be released before him and that he had to be last to leave that it was about liberty for all of Venezuela 143 A month later on 8 July 2017 Lopez left Ramo Verde and was taken home in the company of two Bolivarian officials Delcy Rodriguez and her brother Jorge Rodriguez at 3 00am VST 144 145 146 He was placed under house arrest by Venezuela s Supreme Tribunal of Justice which cited case irregularities and health reasons for Lopez s release Reuters reports that the Bolivarian government seems to be calculating that his return home may ease domestic protests 146 Following the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election which granted the Bolivarian government much more authority over Venezuela SEBIN agents arrived at Lopez s home in the early hours of 1 August 2017 and took him back to prison 27 But on 5 August 2017 Venezuelan authorities again released Lopez to house arrest 147 Since then Lopez has remained under house arrest According to Lopez SEBIN agents have been taking a picture of him with a copy of the day s newspaper every day since his return to house arrest 148 In October 2017 the head of a private security team guarding Lopez and his home was arrested he has not been seen since 148 On 17 November 2017 SEBIN officials reinforced the surveillance of Lopez s house after the former mayor of Caracas who was in the same situation fled on the same day to Colombia 149 Release edit See also 2019 Venezuelan uprising nbsp Lopez beside a pro Guaido soldier following his release during the 2019 Venezuela uprisingLopez was released from house arrest on the morning of 30 April during the 2019 Venezuela uprising with the assistance of defecting armed forces supportive of Juan Guaido 150 Later in the day Lopez and his immediate family entered the Chilean Embassy in Caracas 151 but moved to the Spanish Embassy in the early hours of 1 May 2019 152 According to Roberto Ampuero of the Chilean Foreign Ministry Lopez and his family moved to the Spanish Embassy after a personal decision noting that Lopez and his wife both have Spanish ancestry 153 On 2 May 2019 the Supreme Tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Lopez who exited the gates of the Spanish Embassy with his wife Lilian Tintori to speak with reporters saying that Maduro s days were numbered 154 The Spanish government announced that Lopez would not be handed over to Venezuelan authorities 155 Escape from Spanish Embassy edit On 24 October 2020 top Venezuelan opposition officials said Lopez had fled Venezuela Lopez who is a political mentor to opposition leader Juan Guaido had taken refuge in the Spanish ambassador s residence in Caracas since fleeing house arrest after the failure of a military uprising to overthrow Maduro in April 2019 156 His political allies and his father said Lopez made his way across the border into Colombia after spending more than a year inside the Spanish Embassy 157 Lopez s escape was first reported by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo 158 159 A Spanish government source said his arrival in Spain where his wife now lives was imminent The Spanish foreign ministry said on Twitter that Lopez s decision to leave was voluntary and personal 160 Lopez arrived in Madrid on 25 October 161 and had a meeting with the Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez on 27 October 162 163 Exile editWhile living in exile during a press conference in the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid in October 2020 Lopez expressed that his goal now was to have free and transparent elections in Venezuela saying that we want for Venezuela the same as in Bolivia referring to the 2020 Bolivian elections where the Movement for Socialism MAS candidate Luis Arce was elected president 164 In exile Lopez has also declared that for a transition to be viable support from the Maduro regime was needed 165 citing as examples South Africa Eastern Europe and Spain 165 166 but saying that those who have committed human right abuses or crimes against humanity should not be included 165 On 9 December 2020 Leopoldo Lopez started a tour in Latin America travelling to Colombia and seeking to strengthen an international front against Nicolas Maduro after the Venezuelan parliamentary election that year which he considered fradulent 167 168 The following day Lopez met with Colombian President Ivan Duque and on 11 December he travelled to Cucuta to meet Venezuelan migrants living in the border and learn about their problems 169 On 22 May 2021 having travelled to Ecuador Lopez met with the mayor of Guayaquil Cynthia Viteri to discuss about the regularization of the Venezuelan diaspora and to recognize both expired Venezuelan passports and other documents The following day Lopez met with the president of the National Assembly of Ecuador Guadalupe Llori who on 24 May would be in charge of inaugurating president elect Guillermo Lasso 170 He travelled later to Peru during the Peruvian general election and on 29 May participated in a political panel with politicians and businesspeople related to right wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori daughter of Alberto Fujimori saying that Fujimori represented freedom and democracy while he characterized her opponent Pedro Castillo as supporting dictatorship and communism Lopez criticized Castillo for openly declaring that Venezuela was a full democracy and said that he opined about the Peruvian elections because there were a million Venezuelans living in the country and that their results would affect the region including Venezuela 171 172 On 23 June after travelling to the United States and meeting with Republican senator Rick Scott Lopez declared that the United States would not lift sanctions without significant advances 173 In December during the 2021 Chilean presidential election Lopez met with far right candidate Jose Antonio Kast endorsing him 172 174 Awards and honors edit2007 Kenyon College Honoris Causa Doctorate Law 42 2007 2008 Premio Transparencia Award to the most transparent city mayor of Venezuela granted by the Venezuela branch of Transparency International 58 2008 Third place World Mayor Project for being a hands on mayor as well as a national politician fighting for democratic openness and fairness in Venezuela 59 2009 The Most Innovative People Award for Resiliency from the Future Capitals World Summit 175 176 2014 Harvard University Alumni Achievement Award for the support of democracy and transparency in Venezuela 177 2014 Foreign Policy listed Lopez in its Leading Global Thinkers of 2014 publication 178 2015 National Endowment for Democracy awarded Lopez its Democracy Award in May 2015 179 2015 Cadiz Cortes Ibero American Freedom Prize was awarded given the unblemished defense of freedom in your community and minimum requirements of the realization of human rights in the same which has led them to be subject to public rebuke of their government including the flagrant situation of imprisonment or the cutting of your minimal civil rights 180 2015 One of Spain ABC s Ten Faces in the World in 2015 181 2016 Courage Award Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy shared with Antonio Ledezma for inspiring the world with their extraordinary courage in the defense of liberty and universal human rights 182 2017 Florida Medal of Freedom awarded by Governor of Florida Rick Scott 183 2017 Sakharov Prize along with the Venezuelan opposition 184 2018 Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 185 Publications editLeopoldo Lopez Gustavo Baquero 2017 VENEZUELA ENERGETICA Propuesta para el bienestar y progreso de los venezolanos La Hoja del Norte in Spanish Cyngular Asesoria 357 C A Editorial Dahbar ISBN 978 9804250163 Notes edit Vinogradoff Ludmila Leopoldo Lopez y los otros dos lideres emergentes de la oposicion en Venezuela ABC No 19 March 2014 Retrieved 10 December 2015 Venezuela s Guaido leads military uprising Associated Press 30 April 2019 Retrieved 30 April 2019 Leopoldo Lopez launches Venezuela presidential bid BBC 24 September 2011 Retrieved 9 September 2014 Application to the Inter American Court of Human Rights in the case of Leopoldo Lopez Mendoza Caso 12 668 against Venezuela PDF Inter American Commission on Human Rights 14 December 2009 Retrieved 9 September 2014 a b El TSJ decreta inejecutable el fallo de la Cidh sobre Leopoldo Lopez pero podra ser candidato Noticias24 com in Spanish 17 October 2011 Archived from the original on 19 October 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Leopoldo Lopez Venezuela blueblood ardent Maduro foe Yahoo News 19 February 2014 Archived from the original on 6 March 2014 Retrieved 23 February 2014 McDermott Jeremy 21 November 2008 Chavez accused of behaving like dictator ahead of elections The Daily Telegraph London Francisco Alonso Juan 16 September 2011 Corte Interamericana ordena habilitacion de Leopoldo Lopez El Universal Archived from the original on 26 August 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 CIDH demanda a Venezuela ante corte por inhabilitacion de Leopoldo Lopez El Universal in Spanish 23 December 2009 Archived from the original on 1 October 2012 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Rueda Jorge 16 September 2011 Rights court sides with Chavez opponent Yahoo Associated Press Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Cristobal Nagel Juan 11 September 2015 Venezuela s Most Famous Dissident Gets 13 years Foreign Policy Retrieved 10 December 2015 a b Castillo Mariano and Ed Payne 20 February 2014 Murder charges against Venezuela opposition leader dropped CNN Retrieved 23 February 2014 a b ONU insta a la inmediata liberacion de Leopoldo Lopez El Nacional Caracas 8 October 2014 Archived from the original on 9 October 2014 Retrieved 9 October 2014 a b Faces of Impunity Leopoldo Lopez Amnesty International Press release Retrieved 24 September 2015 UN Human Rights Chief urges Venezuela to release arbitrarily detained protestors and politicians UNOHCHR 20 October 2014 Retrieved 14 December 2015 a b c Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez calls for more protests Fox News 15 December 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Neuman William and Patricia Torres 25 October 2015 Venezuelan Prosecutor Says Opposition Leader s Trial Was a Farce The New York Times Retrieved 15 December 2015 Editorial Board 11 September 2015 A Venezuelan opposition leader s absurd sentence The Washington Post The Washington Post Retrieved 15 December 2015 a b Muchas dudas y rechazo genera condena contra Leopoldo Lopez Noticias Caracol in Spanish 11 September 2015 Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b ONU denuncia que opositor venezolano Leopoldo Lopez esta aislado en la carcel La Tercera EFE 11 March 2014 Archived from the original on 30 September 2014 Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b Castillo Mariano Payne Ed 20 February 2014 Murder charges against Venezuela opposition leader dropped CNN Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b Reyes Luz Mely 23 October 2015 Fiscal que acuso a Lopez asegura que el juicio fue una farsa y promete decir la verdad Efecto Cocuyo Archived from the original on 5 September 2019 Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b No queria que me sucediera lo que le paso a Afiuni El Nacional in Spanish 17 October 2017 Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b Urdaneta Jose Alejandro Ortega Diaz denuncia presiones para acusar a Lopez por muertes Diario La Verdad in Spanish Retrieved 30 May 2021 a b Ortega Diaz en caso de Leopoldo Lopez Me presiono Diosdado Cabello El Nacional in Spanish 15 February 2018 Retrieved 30 May 2021 Venezuela s Leopoldo Lopez being released from prison to house arrest CNN 8 July 2017 a b Lideres politicos reaccionan ante traslado de Ledezma y Lopez a Ramo Verde La Patilla in European Spanish 1 August 2017 Retrieved 1 August 2017 Detained activist Leopoldo Lopez says he was freed by military calls on all Venezuelans to peacefully take to the streets The Washington Post 30 April 2019 Archived from the original on 30 April 2019 Retrieved 30 April 2019 The Cisneros Group Teams up with the E Commerce Company Cuponidad to Maximize Its Potential in Latin America BusinessWire Berkshire Hathaway 26 July 2012 Retrieved 9 December 2015 Lovato Roberto 27 July 2015 The Making of Leopoldo Lopez Foreign Policy Retrieved 9 December 2015 a b c Peralta Eyder 20 February 2013 5 Things To Know About Venezuela s Protest Leader NPR Retrieved 7 June 2017 Guaido Ally Under Spanish Protection Forming Shadow Venezuelan Cabinet Voice of America English Testimony of Adriana Lopez Vermut Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Deplorable Human Rights Violations in Cuba and Venezuela PDF US Congress 6 November 2015 Retrieved 6 June 2017 a b c Leopoldo Lopez Mendoza in Spanish Oficina del Alcalde Chacao Archived from the original on 31 December 2007 Retrieved 9 September 2008 a b c d Watts Jonathan 21 February 2014 Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez tells his allies to keep fighting The Guardian Retrieved 7 June 2017 Halvorssen Thor 14 March 2012 Hugo Chavez channels the dead Pittsburgh Post Gazette Retrieved 10 May 2012 a b c Stevens Andrews 4 July 2008 Kidnapped and shot at a Venezuelan mayor opposes country s president City Mayors Former Mayors Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Llenas Bryan 25 March 2014 Cousin of Venezuelan Opposition Leader Leopoldo Lopez Says He Has Become President Maduro s Biggest Nightmare Fox News Retrieved 7 June 2017 Elizabeth Llorente 2 April 2014 Former U S Classmates Rally For Jailed Venezuelan Opposition Leader Leopoldo Lopez Fox News Retrieved 6 June 2017 Hun Alumnus Leopoldo Lopez 89 Stands Up for Venezuela Hun Community Wears White Press release The Hun School of Princeton 18 February 2014 Archived from the original on 27 February 2014 Retrieved 6 June 2017 Curran Hannah 15 November 2012 Leo Lopez Kenyon grad Venezuelan politician Kenyon Collegian Archived from the original on 5 May 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Honors day Kenyon College Office of the Provost Archived from the original on 12 May 2012 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Lilian Tintori conmemora el 9º aniversario de boda con Leopoldo Lopez Fotos Version Final in Spanish 19 April 2016 Retrieved 29 May 2019 Leopoldo Lopez Wife Lilian Tintori Daily Entertainment News February 2014 Retrieved 18 February 2014 Leopoldo Lopez presenta a su hija Manuela por twitter El Universal in Spanish 20 September 2009 Archived from the original on 24 September 2009 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b c Taylor Jeffrey 27 April 2015 The accidental face of Venezuela s opposition The Atlantic Retrieved 7 June 2017 Moleiro Alonso 23 January 2018 Lilian Tintori anuncia el nacimiento de Federica su nueva hija con Leopoldo Lopez El Pais in Spanish Retrieved 9 March 2019 Lilian Tintori y Leopoldo Lopez Concebimos a nuestra hija en la carcel en un bano viendo correr las cucarachas Lilian Tintori and Leopoldo Lopez We conceived our daughter in jail in a bathroom watching cockroaches run La Voz de Galicia in Spanish Retrieved 15 October 2023 a b Munoz Ingrid Nunez and Nury Pineda Moran January June 2003 Nuevos Partidos Nuevos Liderazgos Primero Justicia Cuestiones Politicas in Spanish IEPDP Facultad de Ciencias Juridicas y Politicas LUZ Cuestiones Politicas 30 45 74 ISSN 0798 1406 Archived from the original on 25 July 2011 Retrieved 19 October 2010 Un Nuevo Tiempo juramento nueva comision politica Venevision in Spanish 3 March 2007 Archived from the original on 24 July 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Hylton Wil S 9 March 2018 Leopoldo Lopez Speaks Out and Venezuela s Government Cracks Down The New York Times Retrieved 16 March 2018 a b c d e Kraul Chris 19 July 2006 A lightning rod for Venezuela s political strife Los Angeles Times Retrieved 7 June 2017 Morris Ruth Lightning Rod For Tumult Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin Retrieved 7 June 2017 Chacao repara escuelas durante las vacaciones de Navidad El Universal in Spanish 20 December 2004 Archived from the original on 8 November 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Alcaldia de Chacao puso en servicio Centro Deportivo Eugenio Mendoza en La Castellana Globovision in Spanish 2 November 2006 Archived from the original on 7 April 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Chacao abrio las puertas del Mercado mas Moderno de America Latina Globovision in Spanish 30 October 2008 Archived from the original on 7 April 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Befriend Susan 1 April 2010 Bill Bratton Globocop Bloomberg Business Week Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Premio Transparencia 2008 para Leopoldo Lopez in Spanish noticias24 6 October 2008 Archived from the original on 1 March 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b vom Hove Tann 14 October 2008 Helen Zille Mayor of Cape Town wins the 2008 World Mayor Prize World Mayor Retrieved 7 June 2017 Kraul Chris Mogollon Mary 28 February 2013 Venezuelan opposition leader faces fresh charges Los Angeles Times Pedro Carmona Estanga Acta de constitucion del Gobierno de Transicion Democratica y Unidad Nacional Analitica in Spanish 2 January 2010 Archived from the original on 2 January 2010 Retrieved 13 July 2023 Glabe Scott L 22 November 2005 New Organization Opens Fire on Chavez The Dartmouth Review Archived from the original on 20 November 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2011 a b La Fiscalia investiga a un alcalde opositor por presuntas agresiones contra agentes del aeropuerto Terra 28 June 2008 Archived from the original on 23 March 2012 Retrieved 22 July 2008 Cancel Daniel and Steven Bodzin 7 August 2008 Venezuela Opposition Pleads Decree Case to Trade Bloc Update3 Bloomberg com Retrieved 9 September 2008 a b c d de Cordoba Jose and Darcy Crowe 6 August 2008 In Enacting Decrees Chavez Makes New Power Grab The Wall Street Journal Retrieved 8 August 2008 a b c Ingham James 27 June 2008 Testing Times Ahead for Chavez BBC News Retrieved 22 July 2008 Attorney General has two investigations against Leopoldo Lopez El Universal 21 October 2011 Retrieved 7 August 2014 Will Venezuela Allow a Top Chavez Opponent to Run Inter American Dialogue 5 October 2011 Retrieved 11 July 2023 Leading Venezuelan Activist Leopoldo Lopez to Testify Before Inter American Commission on Human Rights Business Wire 23 March 2009 Retrieved 31 May 2009 Interview Leopoldo Lopez on Venezuela s Political Alternative Americas Society 6 October 2008 Retrieved 31 May 2009 Gunson Phil More anger protests over Venezuelan decrees Miami Herald Retrieved 7 August 2008 Alonso Juan Francisco 31 July 2008 IACHR finds unjustified procedural delay in case of Venezuelan Mayor El Universal Archived from the original on 25 May 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Protests in Venezuela A tale of two prisoners The Economist 22 February 2014 Retrieved 23 February 2014 Fallo de la CIDH en caso Lopez es inejecutable Ultimas Noticias 17 October 2011 Archived from the original on 26 August 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Top court in Venezuela upholds ban on Chavez foe CNN 18 October 2011 Retrieved 25 November 2015 Fact Sheet Myths and Realities of the Disqualifications from Holding Public Office PDF Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela 17 July 2008 Retrieved 25 August 2014 Venezuelan GAO denounces former Mayor Leopoldo Lopez s subterfuge Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Press Office Archived from the original on 13 April 2014 Retrieved 31 May 2009 Contraloria inhabilito al alcalde Leopoldo Lopez El Tiempo in Spanish 13 June 2006 Archived from the original on 18 June 2006 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Contraloria inhabilita por tres anos a Leopoldo Lopez para las funciones publicas El Universal in Spanish 12 June 2006 Archived from the original on 13 June 2006 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Declaran constitucionalidad del articulo 105 de la Ley de Contraloria El Universal in Spanish 5 August 2008 Archived from the original on 13 July 2009 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Venezuelans protest against ban BBC News 7 August 2008 Retrieved 8 August 2008 The autocrat of Caracas The Economist 7 August 2008 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Declaration of the Friends of the Inter American Democratic Charter on the Venezuelan Decision Regarding the Ruling of the Inter American Court of Human Rights The Carter Center Retrieved 22 October 2011 a b Romero Simon 18 September 2008 Report Accuses Chavez of Abusing Rights The New York Times Retrieved 2 February 2010 Democracy and human rights in Venezuela Inter American Court of Human Rights 30 December 2009 Retrieved 19 October 2010 Toothaker Christopher 26 December 2009 Venezuelan seeks to revive anti Chavez movement Deseret News Retrieved 7 June 2017 James Ian 6 August 2008 Venezuelans protest Chavez s new socialist push Associated Press Retrieved 7 June 2017 Mercosur human rights commission arrives in Venezuela El Universal 6 August 2008 Archived from the original on 25 May 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Venezuelan politics contaminate Mercosur parliament session MercoPress 19 August 2008 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b c d Kurtzman Lori 22 October 2014 Political prisoner in Venezuela backed by fellow Kenyon alumni The Columbus Dispatch Retrieved 22 October 2014 a b Leopoldo Lopez lanza movimiento Voluntad Popular en Carabobo in Spanish El informador 5 December 2009 Archived from the original on 16 July 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Daniels Joe Parkin 7 February 2019 Leopoldo Lopez scion of Venezuelan elite dedicated to burying Chavismo The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved 11 July 2023 Leopoldo Lopez llamo a crear una red popular por cada escuela Globovision in Spanish 19 September 2009 Archived from the original on 28 September 2011 Retrieved 7 June 2017 A tale of two prisoners The Economist 22 February 2014 Miroff Nick 17 February 2014 Showdown looms for Venezuela as protest leader Leopoldo Lopez vows new march The Washington Post Girish Gupta and Peter Wilson 13 February 2014 Venezuelans in shock over protest deaths USA Today Opositor Leopoldo Lopez con orden de captura por terrorismo El Universo 14 February 2014 Retrieved 21 February 2014 Cawthorne Andrew and Diego Ore 14 February 2014 Anti Maduro protests persist in Venezuela dozens jailed Thomson Reuters Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Wallis Daniel and Eyanir Chinea 16 February 2014 Venezuela s Lopez says ready for arrest at Tuesday march Thomson Reuters Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Romo Rafael 22 February 2014 The face of Venezuela s opposition CNN Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Goodman Joshua 18 February 2014 Venezuela opposition leader jailed over protests San Francisco Chronicle Associated Press Archived from the original on 1 March 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Descartan cargos de terrorismo y homicidio contra Leopoldo Lopez La Jornada Mexico City 20 February 2014 Retrieved 21 February 2014 Venezuela HRF Declares Leopoldo Lopez a Prisoner of Conscience and Calls for his Immediate Release Human Rights Foundation 21 February 2014 Archived from the original on 1 July 2014 a b Venezuela Violence Against Protesters Journalists Human Rights Watch 21 February 2014 Retrieved 23 February 2014 Venezuela HRF Condemns 13 Year Prison Sentence Against Leopoldo Lopez Human Rights Foundation Archived from the original on 16 September 2015 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Venezuela sinks deeper Miami Herald Retrieved 25 October 2020 Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez denied bail BBC News 28 March 2014 Retrieved 22 April 2014 Gray Rosie 1 April 2014 Venezuelan Opposition Leader Languishes in Jail As Protests Continue Buzzfeed Retrieved 3 April 2014 Poleo Helena 14 July 2014 Imprisoned opposition leader subjected to psychological torture wife claims Local10 Archived from the original on 26 July 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Lopez Linette This Woman Is Venezuela s New Public Enemy Number One Business Insider Retrieved 5 December 2014 a b Socialist International rejects detention of dissenter Leopoldo Lopez El Universal 17 November 2014 Retrieved 14 December 2014 Military command destroys cells of Leopoldo Lopez and Daniel Ceballos El Universal 13 February 2015 Archived from the original on 14 February 2015 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Pazarli Mustafa Jailed Venezuelan opposition leaders start hunger strike VideoNews us Retrieved 26 May 2015 The jailed opposition leader who might hold the key to Venezuela s future The Conversation Retrieved 26 May 2015 a b Venezuela opposition leader jailed for nearly 14 years Al Jazeera 11 September 2015 Retrieved 11 September 2015 Student Marco Coello released after over 100 days in prison El Universal 24 July 2014 Archived from the original on 29 November 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Forero Juan 6 August 2014 Venezuelan Court Bars Defense for Opposition Leader The Wall Street Journal Venezolanos protestan captahuellas con un cacerolazo El Nuevo Herald in Spanish 29 August 2014 Retrieved 29 August 2014 Diferido por tercera vez juicio de Leopoldo Lopez nueva cita sera el 10 de septiembre La Patilla 28 August 2014 Retrieved 29 August 2014 Francisco Alonso Juan 29 August 2014 European Union follows up trial against dissenter Leopoldo Lopez El Universal Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Burden Guido Javier 17 November 2014 Venezuelan Court Won t Bow to UN Call for Leopoldo Lopez Release PanAm Post Retrieved 27 September 2015 Welsh Teresa 11 September 2015 Venezuelan Opposition Leader Gets 13 Year Prison Term US News Archived from the original on 12 September 2015 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Venezuela UN rights chief calls for immediate release of opposition leader politicians United Nations News 20 October 2014 Retrieved 25 November 2015 Venezuelan opposition wants prisoners free economy revamped after vote Business Insider 24 November 2015 Wyss Jim 18 January 2017 Clemency for Puerto Rican nationalist raises question about jailed Venezuelan politician Miami Herald Retrieved 23 June 2017 Prados Luis 23 March 2015 Felipe Gonzalez defendera a lideres opositores presos en Venezuela El Pais Retrieved 23 March 2015 Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez jailed The Daily Telegraph 11 September 2015 Retrieved 26 September 2015 Miguel Vivanco Jose 2 December 2015 The Shattered Case Against Leopoldo Lopez Human Rights Watch Retrieved 15 December 2015 a b c d e f g Utrera Yesman Miroff Nick 10 September 2015 Venezuelan opposition leader sentenced to military prison The Washington Post Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b c d Dreier Hannah 10 September 2015 Venezuelan opposition leader convicted of inciting violence Business Insider Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b c d e Neuman William 28 October 2015 Venezuelan Prosecutor Ties Nicolas Maduro to Arrests The New York Times Retrieved 29 October 2015 Meet the Human Rights Foundation Team Human Rights Foundation Retrieved 7 June 2017 Human Rights Foundation Declares Leopoldo Lopez a Political Prisoner PanAm Post 21 February 2014 Archived from the original on 25 February 2014 Retrieved 22 October 2014 Obama calls for release of Venezuelan dissenter Lopez El Universal 23 September 2014 Archived from the original on 28 September 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2017 UN Human Rights Chief urges Venezuela to release arbitrarily detained protestors and politicians www ohchr org OHCHR 20 October 2014 Retrieved 20 October 2014 UE seriamente preocupada por detenciones arbitrarias en Venezuela El Universal 19 December 2014 Retrieved 6 January 2015 Venezuela rechazo resolucion ONU sobre Lopez y pide no inmiscuirse El Mundo 10 October 2014 Archived from the original on 23 September 2015 Retrieved 12 October 2014 Gobierno tilda de insensatez que comisionado de la ONU solicite liberacion de Lopez La Patilla 22 October 2014 Retrieved 23 October 2014 Hasta el Dalai Lama reza por Leopoldo Lopez y Venezuela La Patilla 4 November 2016 Retrieved 4 November 2016 Venezuela Trial of opposition leader an affront to justice and free assembly Press release Amnesty International 19 February 2014 Retrieved 6 June 2017 Lopez Leopoldo 25 September 2015 Even in Jail I Will Fight for a Free Venezuela The New York Times Retrieved 22 January 2016 Lopez Leopoldo 25 March 2014 Venezuela s Failing State The New York Times Retrieved 7 June 2017 a b Lopez rechazo oferta de casa por carcel de regimen de Maduro El Tiempo in Spanish 5 June 2017 Retrieved 6 June 2017 T SJ otorgo casa por carcel a Leopoldo Lopez El Universal in Spanish 8 July 2017 Archived from the original on 8 July 2017 Retrieved 8 July 2017 Zuniga Mariana 8 July 2017 Venezuelans release opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez from jail The Washington Post Retrieved 9 July 2017 a b Ore Diego amp Girish Gupta 9 July 2017 Buoyed by Lopez release Venezuela opposition rallies for 100th day Reuters Retrieved 9 July 2017 Chavez Nicole 6 August 2017 Venezuela s Leopoldo Lopez returns to house arrest CNN Retrieved 2 May 2019 a b Hylton Wil 1 March 2018 Can Venezuela Be Saved New York Times Magazine Web El Nacional 17 November 2017 Sebin reforzo vigilancia en casa de Leopoldo Lopez El Nacional in Spanish Retrieved 24 November 2017 Venezuela Juan Guaido and Leopoldo Lopez appear together with military forces in Caracas Merco Press 30 April 2019 Retrieved 30 April 2019 The Washington Post Leopoldo Lopez se refugia en la Embajada de Espana in Spanish ABC International 1 May 2019 Retrieved 1 May 2019 Espana confirma que Leopoldo Lopez y familia estan en su embajada en Caracas La Patilla in European Spanish 1 May 2019 Retrieved 1 May 2019 Weddle Cody 2 May 2019 Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez remains hopeful Local 10 Retrieved 2 May 2019 Espana no entregara a Leopoldo Lopez a autoridades venezolanas Spain will not hand over Leopoldo Lopez to Venezuelan authorities Primera Hora 2 May 2019 Retrieved 3 May 2019 Juan Forero and Kejal Vyas 24 October 2020 Opposition Leader Flees Venezuela Wall Street Journal Dow Jones amp Company Archived from the original on 24 October 2020 Retrieved 24 October 2020 Venezuela opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez leaves Spanish embassy BBC News 24 October 2020 Archived from the original on 24 October 2020 Retrieved 24 October 2020 Ana Herrero 24 October 2020 Venezuelan opposition figure Leopoldo Lopez flees to Colombia Washington Post Retrieved 24 October 2020 Daniel Lozano 24 October 2020 Leopoldo Lopez abandona la embajada espanola en Caracas El Mundo in Spanish Retrieved 25 October 2020 Vivian Sequera 24 October 2020 Venezuelan opposition figure Lopez abandons Caracas refuge to flee abroad Reuters Retrieved 25 October 2020 Venezuelan opposition politician Lopez arrives in Madrid Spain says Reuters 25 October 2020 Leopoldo Lopez se reune con Pedro Sanchez en Ferraz Cadena SER 27 October 2020 Fugitive Venezuelan politician to push for global condemnation of Maduro Reuters 28 October 2020 Leopoldo Lopez Queremos para Venezuela lo mismo que en Bolivia elecciones libres ABC 27 October 2020 Retrieved 3 July 2021 a b c Para que la transicion sea viable hay que contar con parte del regimen de Maduro El Independiente in Spanish 24 November 2020 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Leopoldo Lopez en busca de una transicion a la espanola El Independiente in Spanish 31 October 2020 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Leopoldo Lopez viaja a Colombia en una gira que busca afianzar el frente internacional contra Maduro Europa Press 9 December 2020 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Leopoldo Lopez viaja a Colombia esta es su agenda CNN in Spanish 9 December 2020 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Bornacelly Lorena 11 December 2020 Asi fue la visita de Leopoldo Lopez a la frontera con Colombia El Pitazo in Spanish Retrieved 3 July 2021 Leopoldo Lopez se reunio con la presidenta de la AN de Ecuador El Nacional in Spanish 23 May 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Briceno Franklin Munoz Mauricio 30 May 2021 Leopoldo Lopez Keiko Fujimori defendera democracia en Peru Associated Press in Spanish Retrieved 6 June 2021 via Los Angeles Times a b Mawad Tony Frangie 12 January 2023 Y tu que propones 20 Years of Opposition Proposals Caracas Chronicles Retrieved 11 July 2023 Leopoldo Lopez EE UU no levantara sanciones sin avances significativos ALnavio in Spanish 23 June 2021 Retrieved 3 July 2021 Leopoldo Lopez ante Constituyente chilena En Venezuela se socavo democracia Infobae in European Spanish Retrieved 11 July 2023 Global Innovators Honored at 50 Nation Future Capitals Summit in Abu Dhabi Press release Future Capitals 14 January 2009 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Spotlight Future Capitals Retrieved 18 May 2014 Alumni Achievement Award Press release Harvard Kennedy School 1996 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Leopoldo Lopez Foreign Policy Retrieved 22 November 2014 National Endowment for Democracy honors Venezuela s political prisoners with 2015 Democracy Award National Endowment for Democracy 29 May 2015 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Also available from NED here and here Lopez Ledezma y Machado galardonados con el Premio Libertad Cortes de Cadiz El Nacional in Spanish 12 June 2015 Archived from the original on 13 June 2015 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Rodriguez Pedro 7 June 2017 Los diez rostros del mundo en 2015 ABC in Spanish Retrieved 30 December 2015 Jailed Venezuelan opposition leaders Antonio Ledezma amp Leopoldo Lopez win 2016 Courage Award from 25 NGOs at Geneva Summit Held at UN Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy 24 February 2016 Retrieved 7 June 2017 Padgett Tim 8 May 2017 Governor Scott Joins Venezuelan Expats in Doral Says Maduro Thugs Have To Go WLRN TV Retrieved 10 May 2017 Venezuela s opposition awarded Sakharov Prize for championing human rights The Independent 26 October 2017 Archived from the original on 28 October 2017 Retrieved 28 October 2017 Bertotelli J R 15 June 2018 Leopoldo Lopez esta nominado al Nobel de la Paz El Pitazo permanent dead link External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leopoldo Lopez Official website in Spanish New York Times Leopoldo Lopez interview February 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leopoldo Lopez amp oldid 1182813404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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