RantCrush Top 5: August 1, 2017

The situation in Venezuela has continued to worsen as President Nicolas Maduro continues his attempts to solidify power in the nation. Opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were seized from their homes last night in raids; Maduro’s administration claims that it was because they were planning on fleeing the country, but critics point to it as another escalating step on the way to a full-blown dictatorship. Lopez and Ledezma were both already under house arrest. Lopez ran afoul of the law by leading demonstrations against Maduro three years ago, and Ledezma is accused of plotting a coup against Maduro. But they were both still speaking out against the vote on Sunday that allows Maduro’s government to rewrite the constitution and take on other absolute powers. They claim that vote was rigged.

Disgraceful that #Venezuela opposition leaders once again detained – US should demand their immediate release https://t.co/bFCG0to9Jz

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 1, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.