Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab confirmed on Sunday the arrest and detention of Rocío San Miguel, a prominent human rights activist and leader of the NGO Control Ciudadano, for alleged involvement with a conspiracy to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.

Saab announced on X (formerly Twitter) that a warrant had been issued for San Miguel’s arrest. According to Saab, the alleged conspiracy aimed to assassinate Maduro and other high-ranking officials, as well as carry out attacks on military units in the city of San Cristóbal. The government did not disclose any evidence supporting these claims.

San Miguel, an expert on defense issues, has been a vocal advocate for civilian oversight of Venezuela’s armed forces. She is the president of the NGO Control Ciudadano, which has been dedicated to promoting civil supervision of national security, defense and the armed forces.

This recent arrest follows the detention of 36 Venezuelan government critics just weeks ago, who were also accused of having ties to alleged plots against Maduro. The arrests have raised concerns among human rights organizations about the shrinking space for dissent and the erosion of civil liberties in Venezuela. San Miguel argued that maintaining jurisdictional control over the actions of Venezuela’s armed forces is crucial for upholding the rule of law. She asserted that judicial intervention is necessary to ensure the military’s adherence to legal authority and prevent arbitrary acts that undermine the principles of a democratic state.