In a controversial ruling, a Venezuelan court has sentenced 65-year-old doctor Marggie Orozco to 30 years in prison for allegedly criticizing President Nicolas Maduro’s government in a WhatsApp audio message. The sentence, described as the maximum penalty, was handed down on charges of treason, incitement to hatred, and conspiracy. The case stems from a report filed by community leaders who deemed the message disloyal, though its content and intended recipient remain undisclosed. Orozco was arrested in August 2024 in San Juan de Colon, a western town in Venezuela, during a period of political turmoil following Maduro’s disputed reelection. The opposition and numerous international observers labeled the election as fraudulent, sparking widespread protests that led to 2,400 arrests, most of whom were later released. Maduro, in the aftermath, called on his supporters to identify and report so-called ‘fascists,’ a term frequently used to describe opposition members. According to Venezuela’s JEP rights NGO, Orozco has suffered two heart attacks while in detention. The Foro Penal NGO estimates that there are currently around 882 political prisoners in Venezuelan jails.