Venezuela general who broke with Hugo Chavez dies in prison

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s government has announced the death of Raúl Isaías Baduel, a former Venezuelan defense minister and ally-turned-critic of the late President Hugo Chávez who was in prison awaiting trial since 2017 for alleged links to a purported plot to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro. Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced Tuesday via Twitter that the 66-year-old Baduel died from COVID-19. Baduel was considered by some to be a political prisoner since his initial arrest in 2009 and subsequent prosecution, just after breaking with Chavez and becoming one of the leader’s staunchest critics.