Leopoldo Lopez, the jailed Venezuelan opposition leader who is perhaps known as much for his photogenic charisma as he is for his right wing politics, has just has announced his plans to go on a hunger strike via video.


The public address was filmed in his military prison cell, before it was smuggled out and went viral.

Lopez, wearing a white T-shirt and needing a shave, calls on the Caracas government to release all political prisoners in Venezuela and urged Venezuelans to take to the streets in an anti-government demonstration.

"Come out, hand-in-hand with your brothers and sisters, without ideological distinction, to show that we are on the side of change in Venezuela. Come out in peace and democracy," said the 44-year-old, Harvard-educated political prisoner, who has been at the Ramo Verde military prison since last February, according to the Daily Mail,

“Kept the faith so that in Venezuela together very soon we can open the doors for a new Venezuela.”

Lopez stated that he would not eat until three of his demands were met. These demands include the release of all political prisoners; an end to what he views as persecution, repression and censorship perpetrated by the government; and the instituting of a formal date set for internationally observed parliamentary elections.

Addressing his country’s recent economic and political woes, Lopez said, “The situation is worse than it was last year. Longer lines, more inflation, more shortages, more insecurity, more corruption, including the denouncement of drug-trafficking in the highest levels of government.”

As reported by the BBC, in April a host of former world leaders sent out an open letter to the Venezuelan government expressing concern over "the difficult social, economic and political situation" in the Latin American country.