Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez is to appear Thursday at a hearing that could see him freed after 70 days detention for allegedly inciting deadly violence during anti-government protests.
At least 41 people have died and more than 700 have been injured since students and other opponents of the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets in February to protest rampant crime, runaway inflation and shortages of basic goods.
The arrest of Lopez and other opposition leaders have fueled the ongoing protests, and their release was one of the conditions set by the opposition in talks aimed at ending the crisis. Those negotiations continue behind closed doors Wednesday.
The latest hearing for Lopez "will be held at 10 am (1430 GMT) on Thursday" in Caracas, defense lawyer Juan Carlos Gutierrez confirmed to AFP.
"We hope that the prosecutor's charges will not be accepted... that Lopez will be freed," Gutierrez added.
A Harvard-educated economist who is leader of the Popular Will party, Lopez has been held in a military prison since he was arrested on February 18 in the midst of a massive opposition protest rally.
He was formally charged with inciting violence, arson, damage to property and conspiracy.
The Democratic Unity (MUD) opposition coalition said in a statement, the outcome of the hearing will either "strengthen or further deteriorate the rule of law."
The defense will seek to rule out some of the evidence presented by prosecutors against Lopez.
Criticizing the government "is a legitimate democratic exercise," especially from an opposition politician, Gutierrez said, summarizing the defense strategy.
Lopez's lawyers also plan to argue that "there is no direct relationship between Lopez's words and the way things turned out," such as damage to the prosecutor's or injuries to police patrols" during a February protest.
They insist Lopez merely called for "peaceful protests."
Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez is to appear Thursday at a hearing that could see him freed after 70 days detention for allegedly inciting deadly violence during anti-government protests.
At least 41 people have died and more than 700 have been injured since students and other opponents of the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets in February to protest rampant crime, runaway inflation and shortages of basic goods.
The arrest of Lopez and other opposition leaders have fueled the ongoing protests, and their release was one of the conditions set by the opposition in talks aimed at ending the crisis. Those negotiations continue behind closed doors Wednesday.
The latest hearing for Lopez “will be held at 10 am (1430 GMT) on Thursday” in Caracas, defense lawyer Juan Carlos Gutierrez confirmed to AFP.
“We hope that the prosecutor’s charges will not be accepted… that Lopez will be freed,” Gutierrez added.
A Harvard-educated economist who is leader of the Popular Will party, Lopez has been held in a military prison since he was arrested on February 18 in the midst of a massive opposition protest rally.
He was formally charged with inciting violence, arson, damage to property and conspiracy.
The Democratic Unity (MUD) opposition coalition said in a statement, the outcome of the hearing will either “strengthen or further deteriorate the rule of law.”
The defense will seek to rule out some of the evidence presented by prosecutors against Lopez.
Criticizing the government “is a legitimate democratic exercise,” especially from an opposition politician, Gutierrez said, summarizing the defense strategy.
Lopez’s lawyers also plan to argue that “there is no direct relationship between Lopez’s words and the way things turned out,” such as damage to the prosecutor’s or injuries to police patrols” during a February protest.
They insist Lopez merely called for “peaceful protests.”
