Miguel Rodriguez Torres was the founder of the Venezuelan intelligence services, which carried out his arrest. The former Chavez ally had been challenging Maduro's government from the left.
Miguel Rodriguez Torres during his tenure as interior minister in 2014Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Donaire
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Venezuelan authorities interrupted a political rally on Tuesday to arrest Miguel Rodriguez Torres, a former spy chief and interior minister, now a member of a leftist movement that opposes Nicolas Maduro's government.
Rodriguez Torres was giving remarks at an anti-government rally of female activists in a Caracas hotel when he interrupted his speech, left the podium and told the audience that he had "received a notification" that required him "to urgently leave."
A former army general who participated alongside former President Hugo Chavez in a failed 1992 coup, Rodriguez Torres built the organization Movimiento Amplio Desafio de Todos (MADDT) with the hope of mounting a challenge to President Nicolas Maduro in elections. But the former interior minister was banned, along with other opposition candidates, from for running for office.
Venezuela's Interior Ministry released a statement saying Rodriguez Torres had been arrested on suspicion of planning "criminal activities" and conspiracy against the constitution.
In March 2017, violent protests erupted across the country in response to a Supreme Court decision to strip the legislative branch of its powers. Amid an international outcry, President Nicolas Maduro reversed the decision, but it was too late. Thousands continued to take to the streets, calling for new elections. More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Barreto
Hunger, a growing problem
The violence added to the ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela. Many Venezuelans spend more than 30 hours a week waiting in lines to shop, and are often confronted with empty shelves when they finally enter a store. President Maduro blames the crisis on US price speculation. The opposition, however, accuses the Socialist government of economic mismanagement.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/C. Becerra
Health care in crisis
The crisis has even affected health care in the oil-rich nation. Venezuelans often head to Colombia to collect medical supplies to send home, as seen in this picture. Hospitals across Venezuela have compared conditions to those seen only in war zones. As patient deaths rise, health officials have sounded the alarm on the rise of malaria and dengue fever.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M.Duenas Castaneda
Power grab
By July 2017, Venezuela's pro-government Constituent Assembly was established. For observers, it had all the hallmarks of a power grab. The new body adopted the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues, effectively taking away the powers of Venezuela's elected congress, which was under the opposition's control. The move drew wide international condemnation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Miraflores
The West sanctions
In response to the political crisis, the United States and European Union imposed a series of sanctions against ruling officials. The US blacklisted members of the Constituent Assembly and froze all of Maduro's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction. The EU banned arms sales to the country.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/T. Schwarz
Government victorious in regional elections
In October 2017, Venezuela held two votes: regional elections and elections for governors, which were long overdue. The opposition boycotted the vote, but then split, as some candidates and small parties chose to participate. This caused a deep rift within Maduro's opponents. The government went on to sweep the vote, which detractors say was unfair and heavily favored the regime.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Debt default
In November 2017, the oil-rich, cash-poor nation faced its day of reckoning. Credit ratings agencies declared Venezuela and its state-run oil company in "selective default." But Russia offered to restructure the South American country's debt to ensure Caracas pays its other creditors. US and EU sanctions, however, limited the chance of an agreement.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Presidential elections scheduled
The National Assembly announced in January 2018 that it would grant Maduro's call for snap presidential elections. The electoral authority, CNE, held the elections on May 20. The EU, the US and 14 Latin American nations warned that they would not recognize the results. The mainstream MUD opposition alliance boycotted the vote, leaving only one possible outcome.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Parra
Maduro wins ...
Maduro was re-elected to a second six-year term with about 68 percent of the vote. Turnout was only 46 percent, according to electoral authorities. However, the MUD opposition alliance put turnout at less than 30 percent. The Organization of American States (OAS) called the elections neither free nor fair.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
... Guaido assumes power
But weeks into the new year, the situation took a drastic turn. On January 23, 2019, parliament president Juan Guaido declared himself interim president of Venezuela — a move that was quickly recognized by US President Donald Trump. Maduro called it a US-backed "coup." Days later, the US sanctioned Venezuela's state oil firm, while Guaido staked his claim on the country's foreign assets.
Image: Imago/Agencia EFE
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Strong ties to Chavez
Rodriguez Torres was detained by half a dozen armed agents of the Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional (Sebin) intelligence police, the organization that he himself once led.
The 54-year-old former general was tasked in 2010 with creating and running the Sebin, as he was one of Chavez's most trusted aides. He led the organization and the Interior Ministry, briefly, during the 2014 protests that saw widespread repression from security forces against demonstrators and led to the arrest of prominent opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez.
In 2015, Rodriguez Torres was dismissed from his post by Maduro. He then became an outspoken critic of the government, and his movement offered an alternative to both the established opposition and the governing Socialist party.
The arrest comes as part of Maduro's recent crackdown on dissent, amid an economic and humanitarian crisis. The Venezuelan president has ordered the arrest of political rivals, opposition figures and dozens of oil executives.
MADDT spokeswoman Indira Urbaneja denounced the arrest, calling it "intimidation" and saying there was no basis for it. Urbaneja said the arrest showed "the desperation of the Maduro government" as it finds itself unable to solve the real political, economic and social problems in Venezuela.
Although the opposition has accused Rodriguez Torres of human rights abuses and repression on behalf of the Venezuelan government, they stood by him after the arrest.
The Frente Amplio Venezuela of the united opposition party coalition condemned his arrest in a statement, in which it "strongly" rejected what it considered a "violation of due process." The opposition also said the Venezuelan government is currently holding some 300 political prisoners and demanded their release.
During his speech on Tuesday, prior to his arrest, Rodriguez Torres called for electoral authorities to uphold Venezuela's constitution and provide guarantees that the upcoming presidential election will be free and fair.
"Once those conditions are reached we should select one candidate to begin that electoral process to begin transforming the reality we are living today," he told those present.
In an interview in 2017 with The Associated Press, Rodriguez Torres accused Maduro of destroying Venezuela's economy, failing to rein in violence by pro-government militias and silencing critics. He supported the elimination of foreign currency controls and advocated for Venezuela to seek financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund.
