Adelaida Herrera, 56, holds a picture of her son Bleider Leves Herrera, 17, who was detained while returning from visiting his girlfriend as protesters were contesting election results, in Caracas, Venezuela, September 16, 2024. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
CARACAS (Reuters) - Bleider Leves, a 17-year-old mechanic, was heading to his Caracas home one day in late July after Venezuela's contested election when police grabbed him on the street. Officers beat, tortured and jailed him without cause, his mother said.
Nearly two months later, the teenager remains imprisoned but there have been no charges nor any sign he will be released, his mother, Adelaida Herrera, said in an interview. Rights groups alleged there have been 25 deaths and 2,400 arrests in the government's crackdown after the disputed election.
