Biliari’s last GPS location was at the entrance to the Helicoid prison in Caracas
The head of the Venezuelan Convergence Party – and a member of the opposition coalition of the Nicolas Maduro regime – Biagio Pilari, a former deputy of Venezuela’s National Assembly, was detained in Caracas after participating in a rally with the coalition’s leader Maria Corina. Machado. A complaint was filed by the alliance in X.
#Urgent 2:06 pm Chase @BiagioPilieri Kidnap him.
Chairman of @ConvergenciaVe I left the movement on July 28.
We need to warn the international community and hold the regime accountable for what might happen. pic.twitter.com/KUb1AMpko2
— ConVzla Command (@ConVzlaComando) August 28, 2024
Biliari’s last known GPS location was at the gates of Helicoid de Caracas prison, the Federation reported on X, along with a screenshot of his cell phone location.
#Urgent last place @BiagioPilieri Confirm your grip and switch to helicoid. He found himself next to his son, Jesus Biliari.
We condemn Nicolás Maduro and his regime come what may! pic.twitter.com/oQltZBAhQ8
— ConVzla Command (@ConVzlaComando) August 28, 2024
The arrest comes on the same day that the International Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemned the escalation of repression in Venezuela following the July 28 presidential election, which has been questioned by the international community.
IACHR President Roberta Clarke presented a report on the country’s human rights situation to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington.
The meeting was held at the request of Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States and Uruguay.
In the report, Clark condemned the crackdown that followed the presidential election — in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner by election officials — “reflecting patterns already observed by the IACHR in the protests of 2014 and 2017.”
The IACHR said the “arbitrary use of force” caused at least 23 deaths and dozens of injuries, as well as arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, and detained more than 1,600 people, including a hundred minors.
After the report was presented, the countries that had called the meeting intervened, and the remaining countries – such as Brazil, Mexico or Colombia, which had adopted a soft position with Caracas – decided not to speak.
At this open session, Raúl Florentín, Paraguay’s ambassador to the OAS, said, “These serious complaints cannot be ignored by the international community.”
Costa Rican representative Milagro Martínez supported a “fair and good-faith transition process” led by all parties in Venezuela, while Peruvian ambassador Jose Luis Sardon condemned “everything is a lie” in the Caribbean nation.
In turn, U.S. Ambassador Frank Mora said the Maduro government and its representatives had “perpetuated a climate of fear” that “worsened” after the July 28 election.
“The United States expresses solidarity with the Venezuelan people who have expressed their desire for change and a return to democratic norms in Venezuela,” Mora said, condemning “a terrible panorama in the area of human rights.”
OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro reiterated his request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to use indictments and arrest warrants against Venezuelan government officials.
Two weeks ago, the OAS Permanent Council approved a unanimous resolution calling for Venezuelan authorities to quickly release election records.
Venezuela is not part of the OAS, and its government decided to withdraw from the organization in 2017, citing the Washington-based organization’s interference in its internal affairs.