- Carmen Teresa Navas, an 82-year-old Venezuelan woman, died in May 2026 shortly after discovering the death of her son, Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, a political prisoner.
- Quero Navas had been forcibly disappeared since his detention in January 2025; state officials hid his death for ten months, even denying him amnesty while he was already buried in a mass grave.
- The case has become a symbol of the struggle of Venezuelan mothers and the ongoing human rights crisis under the interim administration of Delcy Rodríguez.
The Disappearance and Discovery
- Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, a 51-year-old merchant, was arrested on January 1, 2025, on terrorism charges.
- For 16 months, Carmen Navas searched courthouses and detention centers, receiving consistent denials from officials regarding her son’s status.
- In May 2026, a court denied amnesty to Quero Navas, only for the Ministry of Penitentiary Service to admit the following day that he had died of "acute respiratory failure" in July 2025 while in custody at El Rodeo I prison.
- Authorities claimed he was buried in a mass grave because no relatives requested visitation, despite Navas's constant inquiries.
Human Rights and Systemic Failure
- The United Nations’ Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has expressed "grave concern" and called for an independent investigation.
- Experts highlight that at least ten state institutions appeared to be involved in concealing information or misleading the family.
- This year, four other mothers of political prisoners have died while waiting for news about their children, reflecting the severe toll of political violence and institutional neglect.
Public Response and Repression
- Following the news, activists and citizens held protests; a May 18 demonstration in Caracas was met with police repression, resulting in injuries and two detentions.
- Following the public outcry, National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez announced the future release of approximately 300 political prisoners, though no specific names or timelines were provided.