In this interview with Marilena Stegbauer, a fellow of the McCain Institute Global Leaders Program and friend of Venezuelan opposition figure Jesús Armas, speaks with James Joseph, JURIST Managing Editor for Long-Form Content, on Armas’  forcible disappearance following his abduction by the Maduro regime. Marilena underscores his connections to global institutions and the urgent need for collective advocacy to address the broader pattern of state violence in Venezuela.

Today Tuesday January 28, 2025 marks seven weeks since Jesús Armas’ abduction. 

JURIST News: Can you tell us about your relationship with Jesús Armas and how you met?

Marilena Stegbauer: Jesús is a fellow McCain Global Leader who has become a dear friend and ally. We met in 2023 as part of the McCain Global Leaders program. The program has been established in honor and celebration of the life and public service of US Senator John McCain. It is a unique year of learning and self-reflection while traveling the world that will increase the leadership skills of those working in human rights and serving at the frontlines of their respective communities or in systems where democracy and rule are being violently suppressed. Jesús is a fearless advocate of the Venezuelan people’s quest for freedom. His work is always people-centered. He believes in a free and democratic Venezuela, which spurs him on despite the personal risk to his life and well-being. For him, being an opposition leader is a badge of honour and the ultimate service to the Venezuelan people and society he cares so deeply for. 

JURIST News: What was your reaction when you heard about Jesus’ detention by the Maduro regime on December 10th?

Marilena Stegbauer: First, I was paralyzed. Later heartbroken. My thoughts focused on what his parents, partner and close friends must be going through and how incredibly strong they must be. It’s devastating to think that someone who has dedicated their life to fighting for freedom and human rights could be taken away like this. However, Jesús told us that this might happen to him, and I think that prepared me mentally to focus on the next steps on what needs to be done to get him released rather than drowning in sorrow. The worldwide network of McCain Global Leaders jumped into action pretty much immediately, and it is there that I turn for hope and advice.

JURIST News: Can you explain the context behind Jesus’ detention and the current situation in Venezuela?

Marilena Stegbauer: Jesús played a crucial role in the opposition campaign during the July 28 presidential elections. Leading up to the polls, he travelled the country by bus to speak at rallies and support the main opposition candidates. He was on a restless quest to be the change he wanted to see. Then, despite the opposition’s victory, the Maduro regime refused to recognize the results and instead responded with a brutal crackdown on opposition figures, including activists, human rights defenders, and social leaders. Unfortunately, Jesús’ case is one of over 2300 arbitrary detentions recorded since the elections alone, and we must keep this bigger picture in mind when engaging in advocacy and legal actions within the context of Venezuela.

JURIST News: How does Jesús detention affect his connections to the US, UK, Spain, and Germany? Why should these countries care?

Marilena Stegbauer: Jesús is a McCain Global Leader, Obama Foundation scholar, Stanford Summer Fellow, a graduate of the University of Bristol and a former Scheveningen scholarship recipient. He is also a graduate of the International Academy for Leadership (IAF) of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and a former student of University Carlos III of Madrid. He has special connections to all of these countries and institutions in these strong liberal democracies, which is where he turned to and sought inspiration for his vision of a free and democratic Venezuela. His arbitrary detention sends a chilling message to anyone who dares to speak out against authoritarian regimes.

JURIST News: What actions have been taken so far in the UK to raise awareness about Jesús’ detention and advocate for his release?

Marilena Stegbauer: Tom Clougherty, Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs in London, has sent a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister David Lammy MP in the immediate aftermath of Jesús’s abduction. Jesús was a former intern at the Institute. There has also been notable media coverage by The Telegraph (UK), CNN’s Venezuela desk, Yahoo News UK and many other media outlets. 

JURIST News: What can people do to help spread awareness about Jesús’ detention and support his release? 

Marilena Stegbauer: Having worked on two International People’s Tribunals in the past, I share Jesús’ belief in the power of people and that the accumulation of small actions can have an impact. We can all act as citizen advocates by sharing his story on social media, using #freejesusarmas. I also encourage citizens of the UK to write to their local MPs and raise their concerns for Jesús’s life and well-being. We must use all available avenues that democracies provide us with to advocate for his immediate release.

All information about Jesus Armas can be found at https://www.freejesusarmas.com/

Jesús Armas is a Venezuelan opposition leader and the president of Ciudadanía Sin Límites, an organisation committed to promoting democracy and human rights in Venezuela. Jesús has an extensive background in public service, having served on the Caracas City Council and as a pre-candidate for the Mayor’s office. Leading up to the Venezuelan public elections in July 2024, Jesús served as campaign manager for the main opposition leaders Edmundo González and María Corina Machado’s presidential campaign in Caracas. His role in the opposition’s presidential campaign further solidified his status as a key figure on the ground, organizing and speaking at rallies and collecting the voting tallies proving that Maduro lost the presidential election. On December 10, 2024, at 9:19 PM, Jesús was forcibly taken by masked men outside a café in Caracas, leading to widespread concerns about his safety following the days of his abduction. Witnesses said he was removed from the premises and driven away in an unmarked car. The incident forms part of a series of systematic state violence, manifesting in the forced disappearance and arbitrary arrests of Venezuelan opposition figures in the wake of the controversial presidential elections of July 2024.

Jesús’s forced disappearance has since drawn significant international attention. On 19 December, after extensive campaigning by family and friends, it was reported that he is currently being detained at El Helicoide, a prison for political prisoners in Caracas operated by the Venezuelan Secret Service (SEBIN). It has also been reported that he has been subjected to torture while being arbitrarily detained.  

His forced disappearance has drawn significant international attention and triggered legal action by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). On 31 December 2024, the IACHR invoked precautionary measures, thus acknowledging the serious and imminent risk to Jesús’s life and urging Venezuela to comply with the American Convention on Human Rights. Activists and human rights organizations, such as PEN America, the McCain Institute and Stanford University, have called for Armas’s immediate release and condemned the increasing pattern of repression against political dissent in Venezuela.

Marilena Stegbauer is a McCain Global Leader (2023) at the McCain Institute. She is an impact litigation consultant based in London and works as a Communication Specialist (independent contractor) at Georgetown University. Between 2020 and 2022, she worked for two international people’s tribunals: the Independent Uyghur Tribunal and the International Tribunal on Iran’s Atrocities (“Aban Tribunal”).