Overview
- The penitentiary ministry said Díaz showed heart attack symptoms around 06:33 on December 6, received primary care inside El Helicoide, and was taken to Hospital Clínico Universitario, where he died minutes later.
- Díaz’s wife, Leynys Malavé, said the family received no medical documentation or access to the body and requested formal explanations from authorities.
- Díaz, a former governor of Nueva Esparta, had been detained since November 2024 on accusations including terrorism and instigation to hatred, with limited contact and prolonged isolation, according to Foro Penal.
- Opposition leaders and human-rights organizations argue his death fits a broader post‑election pattern of fatalities and abuses in custody and call for an impartial investigation.
- The U.S. State Department condemned the Maduro government over the case, calling it further evidence of the regime’s “vile” nature.