A humanitarian aid worker detained in Venezuela without charges, Alberto Trentini’s story reveals the human cost of repression and the urgent need for accountability in a country where silence has become a weapon.
Alberto Trentini, 55 years old, originally from Venice, works as a humanitarian operator for Humanity & Inclusion, an NGO committed to supporting people with disabilities. After more than a decade of missions in fragile contexts such as Ethiopia, Nepal, Lebanon, and South America, on October 17, 2024, he arrived in Venezuela for a new humanitarian mission. On November 15, while on duty in the Guasdualito area near the Colombian border, he was stopped by Venezuelan authorities—according to reports, by DGCIM agents—and taken into custody without formal charges or consular access.
From that moment, his detention has been surrounded by mystery: his family has received no official confirmation of his place of detention, nor clear information about the accusations against him. The absence of official communications, even from Italy, led Humanity & Inclusion to file a habeas corpus petition, which was rejected by Venezuelan authorities. On January 7, 2025, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued precautionary measures in his favor, declaring his situation “grave and urgent,” and urging Venezuela to guarantee his rights to life and personal integrity.
In the eight months since, no concrete guarantees have been provided. Alberto’s mother publicly denounced the silence of Italian institutions, calling for urgent and concrete action to secure his release. At the national and European levels, NGOs and institutions have exerted diplomatic pressure: the European Parliament demanded respect for the rights of political prisoners, while the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Venezuelan chargé d’affaires in Rome in December, yet without obtaining tangible results.
Human rights situation in Venezuela
Alberto’s case unfolds within a context of systematic repression in Venezuela. The latest Human Rights Watch World Report describes a dramatic escalation of arbitrary arrests, persecution of opponents, activists, and journalists, particularly in the lead-up to the July 28, 2024, presidential elections. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported persistent arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, and mistreatment, while the independence of the judiciary remains severely compromised.
The IACHR has denounced the closure of civic and institutional spaces, the manipulation of the judicial system, and the adoption of restrictive laws—such as the so-called “anti-solidarity law,” which criminalizes NGOs, drastically limits their operations, and imposes intrusive controls on staff and funding. Additionally, freedom of the press is severely restricted, with independent media shut down, indirect pressure on journalists, censorship, and widespread self-censorship.
This atmosphere of repression and total control makes Alberto’s case emblematic of the challenges faced by humanitarian workers and journalists in the country, often victims of criminalization, enforced disappearances, and detention without guarantees. The precarious prison conditions, lack of communication, and absence of transparency make his situation not only a personal tragedy but symbolic of a broader crisis of rights and institutions.
As of now, Alberto Trentini remains detained in Caracas, likely in El Rodeo I or Boleíta North prison, with very limited external contact and severely impacted physical and mental health. His case continues to be monitored by international bodies, NGOs, and the media, with a growing and collective demand for truth, protection of his safety, and his immediate release.
Sources:
- Human Rights Watch World Report 2025
- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reports on Venezuela
- Inter-American Commission on Human Rights statements
- European Parliament resolutions on political prisoners in Venezuela
- Public statements by Humanity & Inclusion
- Press statements by Alberto Trentini’s family and legal team
- NGO monitoring reports on civic space and press freedom in Venezuela
