On August 31, 2025, unidentified armed individuals abducted Jesús Castillo, a visiting lecturer at the University of Los Andes (ULA) in Mérida, and Yones Molina, a student and activist.

Both Castillo and Molina are known for their working advocating for human rights, university autonomy, and democratic participation, and the arrests appeared to be politically motivated. According to witnesses, unidentified armed individuals forcibly took Castillo and Molina away in a white van and also confiscated the phones of students who were with them at the time of the abduction. According to the human rights organization Aula Abierta, the modus operandi of the abduction matches the practices carried out by the Venezuelan state in other circumstances.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the enforced disappearance of a scholar and a student. While state security forces have a responsibility to maintain security and safety, they must also respect international human rights standards, including right to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly – conduct which is expressly protected under international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In addition to harm to the immediate victims, the disappearance of scholars and students undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*This incident was identified by Aula Abierta, a member of the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the America’s Monitoring Working Group.
https://latvcalle.com/2025/09/01/movimiento-estudiantil-de-la-ula-denuncia-la-detencion-arbitraria-de-jesus-castillo-y-yones-molina-y-exige-su-liberacion-inmediata/
https://x.com/VenteDDHH/status/1963346248582533459?t=ldmDNJuGLV1yx1mveD3Xrw&s=19
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOEL5upjsuY/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOELmsljp_k/