Shock in the world of sport after the death of Olympic cyclist Daniela Larreal was confirmed, whose body was found in his apartment in Las Vegas, in the United States, where he had gone into exile after receiving serious threats in his country.
“We deeply regret the death of Daniela Larreal, who in life was a great figure in cycling, a specialist in track events. Daniela, in addition to winning medals, stood out for being the only Venezuelan to have participated in 5 Olympic Games. A glory of sport! I join in the mourning that afflicts the country and send my heartfelt words of condolence to her family, friends and those who were her teammates in her sporting career. May God receive Daniela in eternal rest,” he wrote as a farewell. the opposition leader to the Nicolás Maduro regime, Henrique Capriles.
The death was confirmed by Venezuelan Olympic Committee. “The Board of Directors of the COV regrets the departure of Daniela Larreal. With an outstanding career in track cycling, he managed to represent us with honour in five Olympic Games, accumulate four Olympic diplomas and triumphs that always filled us with great pride” he published in ‘X’.
Daniela Larreal Chirinos, one of the most important athletes in the history of Venezuela, lived in exile in the United States following death threats he had received for his firm opposition to Maduro.
The investigation is still open
According to local media, she did not show up at the hotel where she worked last Monday. Days went by and when she did not appear, on Friday the police raided the apartment where the cyclist lived and found her lifeless body. Initial indications suggest that she had been dead for several days. Authorities in the state of Nevada (where Las Vegas belongs) attributed Larreal’s death to presumed asphyxiation. In addition, solid food remains were found in her trachea during the autopsy, so a possible drowning cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, The investigation is still open and other hypotheses regarding the causes of his death have not been ruled out.
He confronted the Maduro regime
The athlete had become one of the critical voices of the regime by denouncing corruption in Venezuelan sport. “This government tries to hide, behind the athletes, “All the foreign currency that is being stolen. I say to the Venezuelans: Maduro is not giving us anything for free, the athletes’ resources are a duty of the State, that is what the law says.”he wrote on his social networks.
Her stance against Maduro led her to receive numerous death threats until she finally decided to go into exile in the United States.
In 2016, she denounced the harassment she was being subjected to on social media. “I want to inform those who are sick with power that their disqualifications towards me do not affect me, they make me great as a Venezuelan and I will fight”he added, referring to the offensive comments he had received.
“Take off your masks and go out to defend Bolívar’s homeland. We no longer have Armed Forces. They support the ‘robolution’, drug trafficking and stateless people who sold the country. People, wake up, do not let a ranch and a cart be used for a bag of food.”wrote the Olympic athlete.
“What did the government do with all the millions of dollars in oil revenues for the benefit and development of the country?” he added before urging the “stateless people” who wrote to him to hold the Venezuelan regime accountable. “Why don’t they ask Maduro to be accountable?“, he said.
Larrea participated in the Olympic Games Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and London 2012.