Thank you Mr. Vecchio, Mr. Viera-Blanco, and Ms. Lopez, for coming and speaking with us today.
The human rights abuses that have been committed by Venezuelan authorities are unacceptable. This committee previously stated it's support for Mr. Lopez, condemning his illegal detention and the violation of his fundamental freedoms and rights to a fair trial.
Last week a trio of former Latin American presidents visited Venezuela. Afterwards they condemned the systemic human rights abuses by the government and requested the release of Mr. Lopez. Former Colombian president Andrés Pastrana also argued that democratic change is on the horizon. Do you see any signs of imminent democratic change in Venezuela?