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On Saturday, Venezuelan press published images proving that right-wing opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez hadn't been tortured in prison.
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Lopez's wife, Lilian Tintori, previously tweeted that her husband was allegedly being tortured. She also released a video where Lopez is heard shouting: “Lilian, they are torturing me, denounce it.”
However, Ultimas Noticias published exclusive photos showing Lopez receiving a routine medical check-up. The images, which show Lopez in good health, revealed that he had not been tortured.
Images of his wife delivering him food on Friday were also published.
Responding to mainstream media's echoing of Tintori's claims, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro insisted that corporate news outlets report on the broader truth about what's going on in Venezuela. He added that participating in false reports only incites violence and hatred toward his country.
In 2014, Leopoldo Lopez, one-time mayor of the wealthy Caracas district of Chacao, made international headlines when he called for, planned and then promoted violent blockades in Venezuela. The blockades, which became known as “Guarimbas,” claimed the lives of 43 people, injured hundreds and caused billions of dollars in damage to public buildings and infrastructure. He was arrested, tried, condemned and sent to prison that same year.
Lopez and his wife Tintori have been outspoken opponents of Maduro and the Bolivarian Revolution launched by late President Hugo Chavez. Since her husband's imprisonment, Tintori has embarked on an international campaign to smear the government of Maduro, including meeting with figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump.
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