Voluntad Popular, Leopoldo Lopez’s political party, released a statement today classifying as “unacceptable” the comments made by the adjunct executive secretary of the MUD two days ago regarding Leopoldo’s incarceration. Ramon Jose Medina said two days ago that the official opposition did not have a plan to help free Leopoldo, since “the only person [responsible] for his incarceration is himself”.
Voluntad Popular compared Medina’s comments to similar ones made by Maduro earlier, and said:
It’s interesting that the comments made by Mr. Ramon Jose Medina came not only on the same day in which Maduro assured in cadena nacional that “those who looked for La Salida [The Exit] only found an entrance to jail”, but also coincide with the same discursive line used by a repressive government that stands against politicians and citizens who’ve spoken up to regain their freedom in Venezuela.
Given the fact that the MUD and Voluntad Popular are on the same side – both in opposition to the government – Medina’s comments sent shockwaves throughout the Venezuelan opposition camps. The faux pas was not lost on Medina, who apologized for the comment yesterday:
It was rude of me. Evidently, it was a bad joke, and I’m embarrassed.
(…)
I have a responsibility to, and I will, contact Lopez’s family, to whom I would like to apologize. I think they have plenty of reasons to know that I am sincere and that I stand in solidarity with Lopez, his situation and the situation they find themselves in.
Medina elaborated, saying that his comments regarding Lopez’s incarceration were made during an interview originally taped a week ago. Medina claims that he was not expecting the question of whether or not the MUD had a plan to get Lopez out of jail, and was caught off guard by it, hence his colourful reply.
Disturbances In Los Ruices, Caracas
A group of encapuchados [hooded demonstrators] blocked the Francisco de Miranda avenue at the height of Los Ruices in Caracas today starting at approximately 3:30 PM. The demonstrators set up flaming barricades in the area:
The disturbance ended at approximately 5:30 PM, when security forces succeeded in dispersing the crowd.
Finally, a picture that allegedly shows injuries sustained by a student named Andres Leon while security forces detained him in Valencia:
In Venezuela 