CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A former police chief whose decade-long imprisonment has been taken up as a cause by Venezuela’s opposition is ending a hunger strike after five days.
Ivan Simonovis is serving a 30-year sentence for aggravated murder related to his role in the death of pro-government protesters who rushed to the defense of then-President Hugo Chavez in a failed 2002 coup.
His wife sent a message on Twitter saying that the 53-year-old will suspend his hunger strike Sunday but isn’t giving up his fight to be released on humanitarian grounds. The decision comes a day after a judge ruled that SImonovis’ health is stable.
Simonovis’ lawyer say the former metropolitan Caracas safety director suffers from 19 different illnesses, including advanced osteoporosis.
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