CARACAS, March 20, 2024 — Dignora Hernández, a deputy and prominent opposition figure close to María Corina Machado, was arrested on a street in Caracas on March 20, 2024. The abduction occurred midday, just minutes after she told her niece, María Laura Márquez, that she was going to the dentist.
The arrest of Dignora Hernández highlights the ongoing repression faced by Venezuelan opposition figures.
- Dignora Hernández, an opposition deputy, was arrested in Caracas on March 20, 2024.
- Her niece, María Laura Márquez, expressed fear for her aunt’s health and safety.
- Hernández was held incommunicado, later confirmed to be at El Helicoide prison.
- The arrest occurred amid a broader government effort to neutralize figures close to María Corina Machado.
- The incident follows a period of heightened political tension and contested election results.
What is the current status of Dignora Hernández? Dignora Hernández remains in custody at El Helicoide, a notorious prison in Venezuela, after her arrest on March 20, 2024.
Márquez received a chilling message from Hernández’s dentist: “I don’t want you to be scared, but I think they took your aunt prey.” Shortly after, video surfaced on social media showing Hernández pleading for help on the street, being forced into a truck amid violence and shouts. Her detention was confirmed: an arrest without prior notification, in broad daylight.
Latest Unofficial Hour | They denounce detention of Henry Alviarez Alviarez (@HenryAlviarez) and Dignora Hernández (@DignoraHernandz) members of @Ventevenezuela and the @Convzlacomando of the unitary candidate @MariaCorinaYA – #20Marzo
📌In the video the detention of Dignora is observed … pic.twitter.com/R5GORxiMWC
– ENLER GARCÍA (@enlergarciatv) March 20, 2024
“We all become a goal for them to harm”
Following the arrest, Hernández’s home was searched. Perkins Rocha, another opposition figure who was also later detained, alerted Márquez. Márquez quickly sought refuge with neighbors, hearing her aunt’s home being ransacked. “It was a terrifying moment,” she recounted. “A lot of anger, much helplessness for not being able to defend your rights. At that time no one has rights, we all become a goal for them to harm.”
For days, there was no word on Hernández’s whereabouts, leading to fears of her being in “forced disappearance.” Her critical allergy requiring medication added to the family’s profound worry. It wasn’t until an attorney general’s televised appearance that the state acknowledged Hernández was in custody. Later, it was confirmed she was at El Helicoide.
Hernández was a key figure in the opposition’s campaign command, specifically in the organizational structure supporting Machado. Her niece stated this strategy aimed to “neutralize all those who were from the direct group of María Corina.” Henry Alviarez, her campaign partner, was also arrested that day. Other close associates faced arrest warrants, with many seeking refuge in the Argentine Embassy, enduring over 400 days of surveillance and hardship.
“Follow, do not give up, the change will come”
Márquez stepped forward as a spokesperson. “We made a decision that changed at least my life completely, and it was to talk to the media,” she explained. She publicly demanded information about her aunt’s whereabouts and her right to health.
Worldwide warning
My friend and companion Dignora Hernández presents serious risks to her health at this time.
Today celebrates 198 days kidnapped in the Helicoid.
Dignora is a deputy, political secretary of Vente Venezuela and member of the campaign command with Vzla.
She is… pic.twitter.com/dWFMrYtinV
– María Corina Machado (@mariacorinaya) October 4, 2024
Márquez’s activism drew threats, prompting her family to decide she needed to leave Venezuela. She has been in Spain for about nine months, utilizing her new platform to report on the situation.
“What hurts me the most is that my aunt is still prey,” Márquez said, unable to speak with her aunt directly. The few messages received offer a glimmer of hope: “Follow, don’t give up, the change will come.”
“Why do they cry if we win?”
The July 28, 2024, presidential election marked a moment of intense hope. “It was a very exciting day,” Márquez recalled, “It looked like a holiday, really.” Her family voted, hoping for Hernández’s release. However, fraud allegations marred the results. Machado rallied supporters, stating, “Why do they cry if we win?” emphasizing a “moral victory” despite the perceived fraud.
Márquez described Machado as a leader who is both “close” and “warm,” delivering direct truths. Machado’s message of resilience, “I’m on the right side and I’m doing well,” resonates with Márquez.
“Not saying anything is also a message”
A year later, the political climate remains fraught. “At the time they took Dignora there were approximately 300 political prisoners. Today there are a thousand,” Márquez noted. Fear pervades daily life, with even social media posts subject to surveillance. Márquez expressed disappointment with Spain’s silence regarding the election results, stating, “Not saying anything is also a message.” She urged the international community to acknowledge the fraud and recognize Edmundo as the rightful winner.
“This is not a matter of ideology,” Márquez stated, “It is totalitarianism or freedom.”
“Everyone needed”
Márquez’s fight continues from afar. She believes that “the organization of families, the organization of civil society will be the one that looks forward Venezuela.” She emphasizes that any future change requires collective effort: “Everyone’s need to recover the country that is so abandoned today.”
Márquez acknowledges significant personal losses but retains hope for Venezuela’s liberation.
