Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, has ordered a formal investigation into the death of political prisoner Victor Hugo Quero Navas while in state custody.
Quero’s death has struck the nation hard, compounded by the passing of his mother, Carmen Navas, 81, just days after confirming her son’s fate.
Quero, 51, was detained in January 2025 on terrorism charges, a common accusation against dissidents during the tenure of former socialist President Nicolas Maduro. During his detention, authorities confirmed that Quero had not provided information about family members, and no formal visitation requests had been made.
Authorities reported on May 7 that Quero died on July 24, 2025, of acute respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary thromboembolism at a military hospital in Caracas.
Carmen Navas had spent months searching for her son, delaying attention to her own health. After confirming his death, she visited his grave, requested an exhumation to verify his identity, and later held a private funeral.
President Rodriguez directed the Ombudsman’s Office and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to assist with the investigation. Officials have promised that the public will be informed once the inquiry concludes.
The prosecutor’s office announced a criminal investigation on May 8. Human rights groups report that about 20 political prisoners have died in custody since 2014, and approximately 500 remain imprisoned despite an amnesty enacted in February, a month after Maduro’s ouster by the United States.
