MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro on the hunt: Court of Venezuela orders apprehension against Leopoldo Lopez

Spain's government has confirmed that Lopez is in the Spanish Embassy in Caracas.

A Caracas Court released this Thursday an arrest warrant against the leader of the opposition party Voluntad Popular, Leopoldo López, for “violating” the domiciliary arrest measure, Venezuelan Supreme Court announced.

“The Fifth Court of Execution of First Instance of the Criminal Judicial District of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas revoked the measure of domiciliary arrest of (…) Leopoldo López for flagrantly violating it,” the Supreme Court said in a statement.

The court in its decision issued arrest warrant directed to the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) and ordering that Lopez continue serving his sentence of 13 years in prison - of which he has served five years - at the National Military Processing Center of Ramo Verde, in Caracas.

Tribunal de Caracas libra orden de aprehensión contra Leopoldo López https://t.co/cAW4pzI9IN pic.twitter.com/l6EFCgD4ot

— TSJ Venezuela (@TSJ_Venezuela) May 2, 2019

The opposition leader surprisingly appeared in a video broadcasted by the President of the National Assembly and Venezuela’s interim president, Juan Guaidó on Tuesday along with a number of low range officers. The leader announced a military insurrection next to an airbase to “cease the usurpation” of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The following protests became violent when an anti-riot vehicle ran over a number of demonstrators in the Venezuelan capital.

There were confrontations between the pro-Guaido military and police officers with paramilitaries loyal to Maduro. The protests against the government have left, until this Thursday, a total of four dead - all by firearms -, announced Marco Antonio Ponce, director of the humanitarian organization Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict.

Lopez and his family attended Spanish embassy in Caracas on Tuesday as guests. However, he has not requested political asylum, as confirmed by Spanish government sources.

His house was raid and robbed on Thursday morning, Lilian Tintori, Lopez’ wife confirmed.

Lopez, one of the opposition leaders most noted by Chavez, who was under house arrest since July 2017 for a conviction for incitement to violence, was released on Tuesday by a group of Venezuelan military related to the interim president of Venezuela.

The opposition leader surprisingly appeared in a video broadcasted by National Assembly and Venezuela’s interim president, Juan Guaidó on Tuesday along with a number of low range officers. The leader announced a military insurrection next to an airbase to “cease the usurpation” of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The following protests became violent when an anti-riot vehicle ran over a number of demonstrators in the Venezuelan capital.

There were confrontations between the pro-Guaido military and police officers with paramilitaries loyal to Maduro. The protests against the government have left, until this Thursday, a total of four dead - all by firearms -, announced Marco Antonio Ponce, director of the humanitarian organization Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict.

Lopez and his family attended Spanish embassy in Caracas on Tuesday as guests. However, he has not requested political asylum, as confirmed by Spanish government sources.

His house was raid and robbed on Thursday morning, Lilian Tintori, Lopez’ wife told via social media.

Lopez, one of the opposition leaders most noted by Chavez, who was under house arrest since July 2017 for a conviction for incitement to violence, was released on Tuesday by a group of Venezuelan military related to the interim president of Venezuela.