Caracas, Venezuela — Another Venezuelan political prisoner has died, the NGO Foro Penal reported on Saturday.
The news comes just days after the Venezuelan government acknowledged that another political prisoner, Víctor Hugo Quero Nava, died months ago from complications while in state custody.
The deaths have renewed attention on the plight of more than 450 political prisoners held in prison months after U.S. special forces captured dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Jose Manuel García Sabino, 31, was a former lawmaker from the northeastern city of Anaco and a member of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).
Before being imprisoned, he denigrated party officials, accusing them of corruption within the mayor’s office and city council.
Local media reported that Garcia Savino died at the police station on May 9.
Initial reports suggested he committed suicide by hanging himself. However, authorities classified the case as a homicide after a forensic examination determined that the cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation.
The Criminal Investigations Commission (CICPC) arrested 12 police officers from the Anaco City Police for their involvement in the incident. Six police officers were detained following the hearing.
In addition, he ordered the dismissal of Pedro Parra, who has been serving as regional police chief since 2022 and is currently in detention.
Former lawmaker García Sabino was arrested on February 23 in connection with an investigation into alleged fraud involving an informal savings scheme known as Susú that was used to purchase motorcycles.
The same day, his wife, Scarlett Ortiz, was also arrested in connection with the fraud investigation. After García Sabino’s death, Ortiz was released from prison, where she reportedly gave birth to the couple’s child while she was incarcerated.
She posted a message on social media thanking God for her freedom and thanking her lawyers for their efforts.
So far this year, the Venezuelan Prison Observatory has reported the deaths of 16 prisoners in state custody.
These deaths occurred amid deplorable conditions of medical neglect, overcrowding, violence, institutional opacity, and absence of basic life protection measures.
The Observatory told
They are demanding that authorities conduct a thorough and fair investigation into the deaths.
Featured Image: Jose Manuel Garcia Sabino
