Five Venezuelan protesters ordered to report to court — The Rio Times
In the state of Barinas in western Venezuela, a court on September 17 released five people detained after a protest over prolonged power outages and ordered them to report to court every 20 days. According to The Rio Times, the detentions took place on September 16 in Llano Alto.
Charges after the protest
According to the human rights organization Fundehullan, Venezuela's prosecutor's office charged the detainees with road obstruction, public incitement and criminal association. At the same time, the newspaper El Impulso cited a somewhat different list: instead of road obstruction, it reported charges of resisting authorities.
Local media named the detainees as José Carrero, Freddy Daniel Pérez Camacho, Denis Díaz, Maikel Pérez and José Coirán. Fundehullan president Roland García rejected the charges, stating that demanding basic services, including electricity supply, is a constitutional right.
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Power outages
According to Fundehullan, protesters rallied against electricity disruptions that had lasted for more than 16 consecutive hours. On September 16, El Nacional reported more than ten simultaneous actions in Barinas. Residents blocked roads, burned tires and banged pots, demanding an end to electricity rationing.
According to Efecto Cocuyo, power supply disruptions affected at least five western Venezuelan states in late August. On September 15, sharp voltage fluctuations occurred in at least 11 states and the capital, Caracas. AFP reported that in August the government reduced working hours in the public sector to ease the burden on the power grid.
The prosecutor's office and the court did not publish statements or case materials. According to Fundehullan, the proceedings are ongoing; the organization is seeking their termination and plans to demand an investigation into police actions.
