Carmen Navas spent a year searching Venezuelan prisons for her son, Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, arrested by military intelligence in January 2025. Prison officials this week acknowledged Víctor died on July 25, 2025, at age 51, listing respiratory failure as the cause. Rights groups warn an investigation overseen by custodial authorities will lack credibility and call for an independent forensic inquiry. Foro Penal reports 454 political prisoners remain detained and rights groups say 27 political prisoners have died in custody over the last decade.
Mother Spent a Year Searching Prisons — Authorities Finally Admit Son Died in Custody
A Venezuelan Mother's Desperate Search for Her Dead Son Is Representative of Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Carmen Navas spent more than a year moving between Venezuelan prisons seeking answers about her son, Víctor Hugo Quero Navas, who was detained by military intelligence in January 2025. After months of denials and stonewalling from prison authorities, the government this week acknowledged that Víctor died on July 25, 2025, at age 51.
Timeline and Allegations
Víctor, a karate instructor and street vendor who supported his mother, was arrested in plainclothes by intelligence agents reportedly because of prior service in the Venezuelan military. Prosecutors charged him with treason, conspiracy and terrorism — accusations frequently used against political opponents under current Venezuelan authorities.
Authorities transferred Víctor to El Rodeo I, a prison outside Caracas. His family lost contact after he was taken to the prison infirmary following an episode of vomiting blood about a month into his detention. Fellow inmates say they never saw him again.
Family Search and Official Response
In October 2025 prison authorities finally informed Carmen that Víctor remained at El Rodeo I. She visited the facility at least a dozen times, filed petitions, and repeatedly requested proof that he was alive. During one visit intelligence agents questioned her for more than six hours; on another occasion a prison official shouted, "Why do you insist on coming?" according to journalist Víctor Amaya.
When the prison ministry formally admitted Víctor's death, officials listed the cause as respiratory failure and said he had not recorded any relatives or received formal visit requests. Prison staff buried the remains in a marked grave; authorities say they plan to exhume the body to confirm the cause of death.
"The investigation cannot remain under the control of those responsible for the victim's custody," said Martha Tineo, director of the Venezuela-based human rights organization Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón. "Especially when there are elements that undermine the transparency and credibility of the official account."
Wider Concerns and Context
Human rights groups warn that any inquiry overseen by the same custodial authorities lacks credibility and have called for an independent, transparent investigation. Foro Penal, a Venezuelan legal-monitoring NGO, reports that 454 political prisoners remain detained, and rights groups estimate 27 political prisoners have died in state custody over the past decade.
The disclosure came amid broader international attention: minutes after the regime acknowledged Víctor's death, the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela posted on X about meetings on the business climate for energy investment, while political leaders and commentators continued to debate the country's direction.
Family members, rights defenders and international observers are urging independent forensic examination and a full, impartial investigation into Víctor's detention and death to establish accountability and prevent further violations.
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