Venezuelan Mother's 16-Month Search for Missing Son Sparks Protests in Caracas

Hundreds of Venezuelans gathered in Caracas to honor a mother who spent 16 months searching for her son, only to discover he had died in a government prison. The woman's son had disappeared into Venezuela's detention system as a political prisoner, but authorities failed to inform the family of his death for over a year. Her story has deeply moved the Venezuelan public and highlighted the plight of families with relatives detained by President Nicolás Maduro's government. Venezuela's opposition and human rights groups have long documented cases of enforced disappearances and deaths in custody, particularly affecting those detained for political reasons during the country's ongoing authoritarian crackdown.