- Title: Venezuelan opposition politician freed from jail sworn into parliament
- Date: 22nd November 2016
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (NOVEMBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VENEZUELAN PARLIAMENTARY HEADQUARTERS VENEZUELAN FLAG OPPOSITION LAWMAKER, ROSMIT MANTILLA, ENTERING CHAMBER PEOPLE LOOKING ON FROM BALCONY WITH LGBTI RAINBOW FLAG VARIOUS OF MANTILLA'S INAUGURATION LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LAWMAKER, ROSMIT MANTILLA, SAYING: "A thousand emotions right now... I'm thinking about my friends and brothers in prison, not imprisoned but rather kidnapped by this regime. We will not rest, my word is a commitment, a commitment to Venezuelans and the freedom for Venezuelans." MANTILLA WITH MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LAWMAKER, ROSMIT MANTILLA, SAYING: "I've come to make this commitment to all Venezuelans and to remind people outside (the country) that there is hunger, insecurity, there is no food, we are imprisoned. I was imprisoned in SEBIM (jail) but all you Venezuelans are imprisoned by hunger and insecurity. We are going to work for a change." PARLIAMENTARY PRESIDENT, HENRY RAMOS ALLUP, DURING INAUGURATION VARIOUS OF MANTILLA GREETING LAWMAKERS
- Embargoed: 7th December 2016 22:49
- Keywords: Venezuela National Assembly politican Rosmit Mantilla opposition
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00159J24W3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An opposition Venezuelan lawmaker who was once jailed for fomenting violent protests in 2014 was sworn into the country's parliament on Tuesday (November 22), vowing to push for change in the divided OPEC nation.
The release of Rosmit Mantilla, a well-known activist for the hardline Popular Will party, last week came amid Vatican-brokered talks between the socialist government and the opposition that are focusing on prisoners among other issues.
Mantilla, who was studying journalism alongside his political activism, was arrested at his grandparents' apartment in May 2014, accused of helping finance anti-Maduro protests that led to violence and 43 deaths that year.
Speaking on the sidelines of his inauguration into parliament, Mantilla remembered those opposition activists still in prison in Venezuela.
"A thousand emotions right now... I'm thinking about my friends and brothers in prison, not imprisoned but rather kidnapped by this regime. We will not rest, my word is a commitment, a commitment to Venezuelans and the freedom for Venezuelans," he said.
From prison, Mantilla won election as a substitute legislator in a vote last year when the opposition took control of Venezuela's National Assembly.
Now ready to take up his new post, he vowed to bring an end to insecurity and food shortages plaguing the South American nation.
"I've come to make this commitment to all Venezuelans and to remind people outside (the country) that there is hunger, insecurity, there is no food, we are imprisoned. I was imprisoned in SEBIM (jail) but all you Venezuelans are imprisoned by hunger and insecurity. We are going to work for a change," he added.
President Nicolas Maduro, the 53-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez whose popularity has dived during an unprecedented economic crisis, accuses foes of seeking a coup against him and denies the existence of political prisoners.
Local rights group Penal Forum says that after Mantilla's release, Venezuela still holds 108 political prisoners, and is using them as chips in the Vatican-mediated negotiations.
The opposition coalition puts the number higher at 135.
Three activists were released in an early gesture soon after talks began last month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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