WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 10, 2025) – Today, on International Human Rights Day, the McCain Institute calls on Venezuela to release Jesús Alexander Armas Monasterios one year after he was abducted by Nicolás Maduro’s regime on December 10, 2024, for his work supporting Venezuelan opposition leader, McCain Institute Courage & Leadership Awardee, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Maria Corina Machado.
“What is happening to Jesús is not only an attack on one courageous citizen—it is part of a broader pattern of authoritarian repression that destabilizes the region and threatens global security,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “Democracies must stand together against these abuses.”
A tireless defender of democratic freedoms in Venezuela, a community advocate, and a McCain Global Leader, Jesús worked to expand access to clean water, energy, and increase civic participation in vulnerable communities through his NGO, Ciudadanía Sin Límites.
“Jesús embodies the moral courage Senator McCain championed—standing up for his country, for dignity, and for democratic freedoms even at great personal risk. His suffering, like that of political prisoners everywhere, reminds us of the human cost of authoritarianism and our responsibility to act,” said John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative Director Pedro Pizano, J.D. & LL.M.
The McCain Institute launched the John McCain Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI) in February 2025 to advocate for pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders, political opposition leaders, and all who are held captive because of their commitment to the principles of democracy and individual freedom. Jesús Armas was one of four initial cases.
“Jesús represents the kind of principled, community-rooted leadership our program exists to elevate. His imprisonment underscores the profound challenges faced by emerging democratic actors—and why supporting them is so essential,” said McCain Institute Director of Leadership Programs Scott Nemeth.
The detention of Jesús Armas is a grave injustice and a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by those who stand up for human rights and democratic values. Learn more about FPPI and how the McCain Institute is working to bring Jesús, and others home: https://www.mccaininstitute.org/fppi