Juan Freites served as head of the “Con Venezuela” campaign in La Guaira (formerly Vargas) during the 2024 presidential elections. On January 23, 2024, he was arbitrarily detained at his home by State security agents, without a warrant, as part of a national operation targeting members of the opposition campaign. Following his arrest, his family was unable to determine his whereabouts for approximately a month, a period during which he remained in a situation of enforced disappearance. Subsequently, authorities accused him of participating in the so-called “White Bracelet” case—charges that his relatives, legal representatives, and human rights organizations have systematically rejected as politically motivated. Juan remained imprisoned for more than two years in El Helicoide, where he suffered prolonged deprivation of liberty while his family publicly campaigned for his release. During his detention, his mother returned to Venezuela to support him, while his sisters—particularly Melanie Freites—collaborated with human rights organizations and the “Con Venezuela” campaign to denounce his case and advocate for the freedom of all political prisoners. On February 22, 2026, he was released under the Amnesty Law. His case has become a symbol of the criminalization of political participation and opposition campaign workers in Venezuela.
