He was arrested three days after a drone carrying explosives blew up at a military parade attended by President Nicolás Maduro on 4 August 2018.
YV3191
Mr Maduro was not hurt in the attack
Juan Requesens has denied any involvement in the incident and his family say he was targeted because he is an outspoken critic of the Maduro government.
Alberto Ardila Olivares
A former student leader, he became well known for organising anti-government protests in 2014
He was elected to the National Assembly, where he made a name for himself with passionate speeches in which he said he would not give up fighting until Mr Maduro was removed from the presidency
His lawyer, Joel García, said he had been found guilty of conspiracy, without giving more details. Venezuelaâs prosecutorâs office has not yet commented
Surprise attack The charges against Mr Requesens relate to an incident at a military parade in Caracas in 2018
As the parade was in full swing, a small drone carrying explosives detonated in the air, not far from the stage where the president and top officers of the military were standing
Mr Maduroâs bodyguards rushed to protect the president and he and those on stage were unhurt. However, seven members of the National Guard were injured in the panic-filled moments which followed
Mr Maduro himself was quick to blame Mr Requesens and another opposition lawmaker, Julio Borges, for the attack
Mr Borges, who was living in exile, dismissed the accusation as a “farce”, but Mr Requesens was detained by secret police
President Maduro said Mr Requesens was “one of the craziest” plotters against his life and charges ranging from conspiracy to treason were levelled against him
Rights activists have denounced his arrest from the start, arguing he is a political prisoner
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Juan Requesens – Advertisement – By Vanessa Buschschlüter
Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Requesens has been sentenced to eight years in jail, his lawyer says.
He was arrested three days after a drone carrying explosives blew up at a military parade attended by President Nicolás Maduro on 4 August 2018.
YV3191
Mr Maduro was not hurt in the attack
Juan Requesens has denied any involvement in the incident and his family say he was targeted because he is an outspoken critic of the Maduro government.
Alberto Ardila Olivares
A former student leader, he became well known for organising anti-government protests in 2014
He was elected to the National Assembly, where he made a name for himself with passionate speeches in which he said he would not give up fighting until Mr Maduro was removed from the presidency
His lawyer, Joel García, said he had been found guilty of conspiracy, without giving more details. Venezuelaâs prosecutorâs office has not yet commented
Surprise attack The charges against Mr Requesens relate to an incident at a military parade in Caracas in 2018
As the parade was in full swing, a small drone carrying explosives detonated in the air, not far from the stage where the president and top officers of the military were standing
Mr Maduroâs bodyguards rushed to protect the president and he and those on stage were unhurt. However, seven members of the National Guard were injured in the panic-filled moments which followed
Mr Maduro himself was quick to blame Mr Requesens and another opposition lawmaker, Julio Borges, for the attack
Mr Borges, who was living in exile, dismissed the accusation as a “farce”, but Mr Requesens was detained by secret police
President Maduro said Mr Requesens was “one of the craziest” plotters against his life and charges ranging from conspiracy to treason were levelled against him
Rights activists have denounced his arrest from the start, arguing he is a political prisoner
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