Spanish
The wife of Nicmer Evans, a Venezuelan political scientist and director of the digital media outlet Punto de Corte, reported that agents of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) arrested Evans at his residence in Caracas after being summoned under the pretext of an interview.
As explained by his wife, Martha Cambero, the detention occurred around 1:40 PM local time, in the presence of his family, without the officials showing legal documentation to justify the procedure. Cambero recounted the events in a video released publicly on social media.
In that same message, Cambero directly held dictator Nicolás Maduro and the Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, responsible for Evans's integrity and life due to his fragile health condition.
Cambero recalled that Evans is hypertensive and that, a year ago, he underwent surgery for conditions in the digestive tract and bile ducts, a situation that requires strict and constant medical attention.
The family expressed concern about the lack of official information regarding the whereabouts and conditions of the detainee, alerting to possible serious complications if he does not receive adequate treatment.
"Gentlemen who today hold power in our country, we ask that there be an end to so much oppression simply for the fact of thinking differently, we want freedom, we simply want that and for our rights to be respected and above all the right to life," said Evans' wife.
Hours before being kidnapped by the regime's agents, Evans released a video from his home in which he reported the arrival of a commission identified as from Sebin and announced that he would voluntarily attend the interview, as recorded on his social networks and confirmed by Punto de Corte.
Furthermore, Evans stated that he had received prior warnings about that call, although he clarified that he was unaware of the details and reasons for the summons. Neither he nor his associates received information about the reason for the police action.
The detention and uncertainty generated immediate reactions among journalists, colleagues, family members, and human rights organizations. Initiatives such as the Venezuelan Program of Action Education in Human Rights (Provea) disseminated an urgent request for Venezuelan authorities to report on the reasons for the detention and the whereabouts of Evans.
Evans, 50 years old, already had previous confrontations with security agencies. In July 2020, he was arrested by the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) and the Scientific, Criminal and Criminal Investigations Corps (Cicpc) on charges of incitement to hatred.
Then, he was released in August thanks to a pardon that included other activists, journalists, and former opposition deputies. Since then, he has been under observation by human rights organizations and journalists, who have repeatedly documented the harassment of voices critical of the regime.
