Incarcerated Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López leaked a self-made video from a high-security military prison last night to announce a hunger strike and call on all Venezuelans to hold a “massive and peaceful” protest against the government next Saturday.
“Today the immense majority of Venezuelans want change, but similar to us, the common citizen and Venezuela’s democracy are incarcerated by a corrupt elite who are only interested in remaining in power,” Lopez said into the stationary camera, offering Venezuelans their first glimpse of the jailed opposition leader since he was put behind bars 15 months ago.
Wearing a white t-shirt, a five-day beard and a cross around his neck, López appealed to the Venezuelan people to not lose hope or faith in democratic change. The video was somehow smuggled out of the Ramo Verde military jail and posted last night on López’s social media accounts, which are now controlled by his wife, Lilian Tintori.
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