El chavismo libera a Samantha, la adolescente encarcelada por ser hermana de un militar – EL PAÍS

Venezuelan authorities have released 16-year-old Samantha Hernández Castillo and 71-year-old Merys Torres de Sequea following months of detention. Samantha Hernández Castillo was released from a juvenile prison on the night of May 18, 2026, under precautionary measures, according to reporting from El País.

Samantha Hernández Castillo had been detained since November 2025. At the time of her arrest, she was at her grandparents’ home and had begun her final year of high school. Authorities involved her in an alleged plan to detonate a bomb in Caracas, though the device did not explode.

The detention of the teenager is linked to her family ties rather than individual criminal activity. She is the younger sister of First Lieutenant Christian Hernández, an exiled military officer who has been accused of military conspiracy by the Venezuelan government.

Reporting by El País identifies this case as an example of “sippenhaft,” a pattern of collective punishment where the relatives of targeted individuals are imprisoned. This practice has been documented in reports by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Status of the Hernández Family

While Samantha Hernández Castillo and Merys Torres de Sequea have been released, other members of the family remain in custody or under state restriction. Arantza Hernández Castillo, 19, continues to be imprisoned.

The family’s uncle, Henry Castillo, and cousin, Arialdo Camargo, were both reported as disappeared for nearly a year before they were located in the Rodeo prison. Henry Castillo had previously been presented by Diosdado Cabello during a press conference, where he was referred to as “El tío” and accused of being part of a conspiracy against Nicolás Maduro.

Maykelis Borges, the wife of Christian Hernández, was also imprisoned. During her detention, she experienced a pregnancy in precarious conditions and gave birth while in prison. She was granted house arrest in February 2026.

Context of the Release

The release of the teenager and the elderly woman occurs amid a period of public indignation following the death of Carmen Navas, who was the mother of a political prisoner.

The case of the Hernández family illustrates a broader pattern of repression targeting those associated with military personnel sought by the government.