BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2021) Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has reproached his UK counterpart, Dominic Raab, after the latter condemned the arrest of opposition figure Freddy Guevara and demanded Caracas to release him.
On Monday, the Venezuelan Prosecutor General's Office said that the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service had arrested Guevara over the charges of terrorism, criminal conspiracy and treason. The UK chief diplomat on Tuesday condemned the arrest and demanded the government of President Nicolas Maduro to release Guevara and other political prisoners, while also calling for "free, fair elections."
"Mr [Dominic Raab], you continue supporting violent and terrorist plans. Isn't the negative impact generated on the Venezuelan health system as a consequence of the robbery by your government of 2 billion Dollars in #Venezuelan gold in the middle of the pandemic, enough for you?" Arreaza tweeted in response.
In January 2019, Venezuela was plunged into a political crisis when the former head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, proclaimed himself interim president in a bid to oust re-elected Maduro from power.
Guevara was a deputy head of the assembly when it was controlled by the opposition and is currently the national coordinator of the opposition Popular Will party.
