including his nose and jaw, and to stitch up his forehead. The march had been calling for the resignations of the Justices of the Supreme Court. In June 2017, Requesens was again attacked, this time by members of the Bolivarian National Guard — though he referred to them as "colectivos" in an interview on — who then threw him down a sewer drain, as well as stealing from him and others. The Colombian government issued a communication denouncing the excessive use of violence, especially against politicians, and sought to remind Venezuelan military officials that their Constitution requires them to prevent unnecessary violence towards protestors. Arrest On 7 August 2018, Requesens had given a speech in Venezuela's National Assembly blaming Maduro for causing unrest in the nation. In this speech, he used the saying, "I refuse to give up": "I refuse to give up, I refuse to kneel in front of those who want to break our morale. Today I can speak from here, tomorrow I do not know. What I want to reaffirm is that we are going to continue doing everything we can to take Nicolás Maduro out of power." Requesens was arrested that day by the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN). He was detained as a suspect in the Caracas drone attack, an alleged assassination plot on the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The circumstances of his arrest and detention are controversial, and irregularities surround the legal proceedings. He was imprisoned in El Helicoide since his arrest, with allegations of torture to coerce a confession, and delays impeding the legal process and hearings. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison in August of 2022. Requesens' detention has been condemned by the National Assembly – as well as international diplomats, politicians and organizations – and large protests have been held in Venezuela demanding that he be freed. His relatives and fellow politicians have stated that they believe he was arrested for criticizing Maduro. The National Assembly condemned the detention of Requesens as a forced disappearance. The Twitter hashtag "#YoMeNiegoARendirme" – Spanish for "I refuse to give up" – became a popular slogan for his case, and a creed for the opposition. Personal life Requesens' father is a doctor, his mother is an English teacher, and his sister, Rafaela Requesens, is an activist. Requesens is married to Orianna Granati, and they have two young children. See also Detention of Juan Requesens