Venezuela Slams Detention of Catalan 'Political Prisoners'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has condemned the Spanish government for jailing nine former cabinet members of the now-dissolved Catalonia executive branch, including Oriol Junqueras, the ex-vice president of the region. He referred to them as “political prisoners” and called for their immediate release. 

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The former ministers were summoned to court on Thursday on accusations of sedition, rebellion and embezzlement against the Spanish government for their participation in Catalonia's independence campaign. They were swiftly jailed after the hearing.

The former president of the dissolved Catalan parliament, Jordi Sanchez, and independence activist Jordi Cuixart remain imprisoned without trial after being jailed several weeks ago. 

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted, "We hope the Spanish government respects the prisoner’s human rights and policies, and that democracy is served.” He reiterated the country’s solidarity with the Catalan community. 

Maduro echoed Moncada's thoughts, saying that "democratic dialogue should be the way (to a solution), not repression." 

Arreaza added to his Twitter account this morning, “Again, the Spanish government is complicit with violent opposition forces of Venezuela, responsible for pain, death and destruction,” accusing Spain of supporting the “fascist and corrupt ultra-right of Venezuela.” This, in reference to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s commendation of the Venezuelan government’s decision to prohibit opposition leader Freddy Guevara from leaving the country until his trial.  

Former Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, along with four other former ministers, remain in Brussels after fleeing there for personal and societal “security” purposes last weekend. They were also summoned to appear in a Spanish court on Thursday, but refused to leave Belgium.   

In response, the Spanish court issued an international warrant for their arrest, which is now in the hands of the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office, awaiting translation and examination. Belgian authorities have expressed that they will cooperate in the search, arrest and delivery of Catalan leaders to Spanish officials.