Family Life and Political Career
Venezuelan political leader and democracy activist. National coordinator for the political party Voluntad Popular. Prisoner of Conscience of the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro, as declared by Amnesty International.
Leopoldo was tried for his words, for calling for peaceful and democratic protests, a right enumerated in article 68 of the Venezuelan Constitution, against the principle problems of the Venezuelan people, which today have become a profound humanitarian crises.
After one year and 3 months of a non-public trial, in total violation of due process, and despite the testimonies of experts presented by the Venezuelan state confirming his innocence; Leopoldo was unjustly sentenced to prison for 13 years, 9 months, 7 days, and 12 hours.
He was unjustly imprisoned for 5 years, 2 months, and 16 days. 3 years, 4 months, and 20 days in the Ramo Verde military prison and the rest under house arrest.
On April 30, 2019, he was pardoned by the interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó.
In October 2020 he mocked the regime and left Venezuela to continue his fight at the international level.
Husband of Lilian Tintori. Father of Manuela, Leopoldo, Santiago, and Federica.
During his unjust imprisonment, Human Rights Watch requested his immediate release. Additionally, 4 United Nations bodies asked the Maduro regime for his release. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, The High Commissioner for Human Rights, The Committee against Torture, and the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
All described his detention as arbitrary and asked the state for his immediate release. Presidents, Prime Ministers, governments, parliaments, democratic leaders, intellectuals, and Nobel Laureates from around the world, of different political ideologies, spoke out in favor of his release.
The report presented on September 15, 2020 by the United Nations confirms the complaints that Lilian, his wife, made during the years of his unjust imprisonment; the torture, the cruel and inhuman treatment to which he was subjected. The report corroborates the atrocities committed by Maduro and the State security forces, who plan and execute human rights violations that constitute crimes against humanity.
