30 years old
Argenis Enrique Ugueto Benítez is a Venezuelan merchant and political activist who was arbitrarily detained on December 27, 2020, after voluntarily turning himself in to State security authorities a day after officials from the Special Actions Forces (FAES) and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) raided his home without a search warrant. During the operation, security personnel searched his residence, seized personal belongings, and temporarily detained his wife in order to force him to surrender. He was subsequently prosecuted under the case known as “Operación Boicot a la Asamblea” (Operation Boycott of the Assembly) and charged with treason, criminal association, and attempted aggravated homicide, in connection with an alleged conspiracy to prevent the installation of the National Assembly in January 2021. Human rights organizations categorized his detention as arbitrary and denounced severe violations of due process throughout the judicial proceedings. After remaining imprisoned for more than five years—including periods at the National Bolivarian Police (PNB) Zona 7 detention center—Argenis was sentenced to 30 years in prison, before finally being released on February 8, 2026. His case illustrates the prolonged use of arbitrary detention and politically motivated criminal proceedings against individuals perceived as opponents of the government in Venezuela.