Event Summary
Although by the end of July 2025 up to 57 people detained for political reasons were released, in the following weeks a new wave of arrests was recorded, targeting both human rights defenders and activists, as well as trade union leaders from various sectors. At the same time, the pattern of repression against peaceful protests has continued. On 8 August 2025, Martha Lía Grajales , a defender from the collective Surgentes , was arrested during a peaceful protest in front of the United Nations headquarters in Caracas. Days later, news emerged from her release , but under precautionary measures that restrict her freedom, while judicial proceedings against her remain ongoing. Similarly, several arrests of union and trade leaders have been documented, particularly from the education sector and the judiciary .
One emblematic case is that of the President of the Barinas State Nursing Association , who has been detained for over 20 days without his lawyers or family being informed of the charges against him. Other cases include the arrests of José Texeira , a member of a teachers’ union in Sucre State; Roberto Campero, a union leader from the same sector in Aragua State; and Rusbelia Astudillo , to defend the rights of retired judicial workers.
On 15 August 2025, President Nicolás Maduro, during a public event with teachers , called for a reform to establish new trade union structures—an appeal that has been interpreted as an attack on independent unionism and trade union freedoms .