The death of a relentless mother reopens the wound of Venezuela’s political repression

May 25, 2026

An 82-year-old Venezuelan mother, Carmen Teresa Navas, died of natural causes on May 17, 2026, just days after learning that her son, Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, had actually died in state custody ten months earlier while she desperately searched for him. Quero Navas was arbitrarily detained in January 2025 on terrorism charges and died in July 2025, but authorities buried him in a mass grave and repeatedly told his mother he wasn't in the system, even while denying him amnesty after his death. Carmen became a prominent figure at protests for political prisoners, holding her son's photo and demanding proof of life, until officials finally admitted his death only one day after a tribunal had denied his release.

Who is affected

Carmen Teresa Navas (82-year-old mother who died)
Víctor Hugo Quero Navas (51-year-old son who was forcibly disappeared and died in custody)
Over 400 political prisoners currently detained under the Delcy Rodríguez administration
At least four other mothers of political prisoners who died this year without learning their children's fates
Ramón Centeno (journalist and former political prisoner whose mother Omaira Navas also died)
Daniel Camara (recently released political prisoner who provided information about Víctor)
Two protesters detained at the May 18 memorial demonstration
Several protesters injured by security forces at the memorial
Venezuelan citizens, activists, and feminist organizations

What action is being taken

The attorney general's office announced a full inquiry into Quero Navas's death in custody on May 7
Acting president Delcy Rodríguez echoed the investigation announcement days later
The United Nations' Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is calling for an independent investigation
Protests are being held in memory of Carmen and Víctor Quero Navas
Local Venezuelan feminist organizations, including Uquira and Surgentes DDHH, issued a joint statement exalting Carmen Navas's memory

Why it matters

This case exposes the systematic failure of Venezuela's human rights protections and the government's complicity in concealing information about political prisoners from their families. The fact that authorities denied amnesty to a man who had been dead for ten months reveals the dysfunction and cruelty of the current system, where at least ten state institutions appear to have concealed information or misinformed officials. Carmen Navas's tireless search and tragic death have become emblematic of the toll that political violence and prolonged uncertainty take on families, highlighting the critical role mothers play in human rights defense. With over 400 political prisoners still at risk and multiple mothers having died without learning their children's fates, this case demonstrates that Venezuela's repressive apparatus remains intact and continues to inflict immense suffering on families seeking basic information and justice.

What's next

Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced the pending release of an additional 300 political prisoners, though no names or exact release dates were shared.

Read full article from source: Global Voices