Leopoldo López In Jail: Venezuela Opposition Leader Sentenced To 13 Years, 9 Months

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López was sentenced to 13 year and 9 months in prison on Thursday. López was charged with public instigation and conspiracy after having incited violence during the 2014 demonstrations against Nicolás Maduro.

After 57 hearings, Judge Susana Barreiros delivered the sentence on September 10. Accusations were based solely on an analysis of López’ speech, delivered to the public on the day of the happenings, and in which the head of the Voluntad Party allegedly incited the present to cause damage to governmental installations.

López turned himself in to the authorities in February 18 and days later the government ordered his apprehension. He had been incarcerated for a 1 year and 7 months. About 200 of his supporters gathered in a Caracas plaza to await the verdict and expressed disbelief and sadness when the sentence was finally announced.

López’ wife, Lilian Tintori, told CNN that the sentence is “unfair” and they will keep working “with more energy than ever.”

“We are going to keep working with more energy, with more strength. These unfair happenings, these facts that just bash democracy, bash dignity, bash the moral of the people of Venezuela, are what give us more strength and assure that what we have said is true. We live in an anti-democratic regimen. We are living the worst moments of a dictatorship in Venezuela and that’s proven in Leopoldo López’ sentence, because he is a person that is with the people, and the people are with him,” said Santori during in an interview with CNN’s Carlos Montero.

Defense was given 10 days to appeal the final verdict.