Chile: A new attack against a Venezuelan opposition leader revives fears of transnational persecution by the Maduro regime

Alexander Maita, coordinator of Comando ConVzla in Chile - a Venezuelan exile platform dedicated to organizing and articulating political and community participation efforts - was the victim of an attempted attack on Tuesday in Santiago, when four armed individuals intercepted the vehicle in which he was returning home with his wife and father-in-law. 

According to the statement issued by Mundo ConVzla, two of the assailants got out of a car, displayed weapons and approached Maita's vehicle directly. The leader managed to escape unharmed and currently remains under protection.

The attack occurred in a residential area of the Chilean capital and was recorded by security cameras. Once safe, Maita filed a complaint with the police and the Public Prosecutor's Office, which incorporated the images into the investigation to identify those responsible and reconstruct the sequence of events.

Mundo ConVzla rules out ordinary crime and demands an urgent investigation

In its statement, Mundo ConVzla qualified the incident as a direct threat and affirmed that the episode does not constitute an act of ordinary crime. The organization demanded an immediate, exhaustive and prompt investigation, involving the government of President Gabriel Boric, the Public Prosecutor's Office and police forces.

The text warns that the life of a Venezuelan leader "has been put at risk on Chilean soil" and defines the attack as an act of persecution and siege with transnational scope. For the organization, the case should be treated as a priority due to the risk faced by Venezuelan opponents in exile.

The investigation is progressing with video analysis and the search for witnesses

Chilean authorities keep the case open and continue collecting evidence. Police teams are collecting testimonies from neighbors and anyone who can provide information on the movements of the vehicle used by the assailants. Camera records will be decisive in establishing the motives of the attack.

Security experts consulted by the local press noted that clarifying the attack's origin will require institutional coordination and a thorough analysis of the evidence, with possible support from international organizations.