Italian-Venezuelan in prison for 11 months after protests against Maduro, appeal from his children: "He is sick"

Eleven months after his arrest, the children of 65-year-old Italian-Venezuelan former deputy and opposition leader Américo De Grazia have posted on their X accounts that "there is no reason or legal justification for him to be in prison," calling for his freedom and that of all political prisoners in Venezuela, many of whom have been detained following demonstrations over the disputed 2024 election of President Maduro.

"Today marks 11 months of this unjust reality, and here we continue to raise our voices for our father's freedom. Justice and freedom for Américo De Grazia," the former MP's children said in their appeal.

At the end of May, María De Grazia had asked "not to let my father die in prison," after the NGO Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners warned of the "serious deterioration" in the health of the Italian-Venezuelan politician, who has been detained since August 8, 2024, in the Elicoide prison, which is also the headquarters of the Venezuelan Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Before his arrest, De Grazia, accused by the Venezuelan government of the alleged crimes of "incitement to hatred" and "incitement to rebellion," had been diagnosed with a lung infection and recently presented with "an active respiratory condition that has been evolving for more than three weeks."

De Grazia's arrest occurred alongside that of another Italian-Venezuelan, Williams Davila, who is also still in prison. The Italian government had appealed for both. Also in prison in Venezuela is Italian aid worker Alberto Trentini , arrested on November 15 by local authorities. He had arrived in Venezuela on October 17 to coordinate the field work of the NGO Humanity & Inclusion. He was arrested.