 Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty International Americas Programme Deputy Director, called on Venezuelan authorities to “either present solid evidence to substantiate the charges against López or release him immediately and unconditionally ... Amnesty International has not seen evidence to substantiate these charges.This is an affront to justice and free assembly.” After López was sentenced to 13 years in prison, Amnesty International declared that, "Leopoldo López is a prisoner of conscience and should be immediately released without conditions".Days after López was formally sentenced and imprisoned, he wrote an op-ed for "The New York Times" titled "Even in Jail, I Will Fight for a Free Venezuela" in which he describes how he was twice visited by then President of the National Assembly and PSUV official, Diosdado Cabello, shortly after the Venezuelan government called for his arrest with Cabello telling López that he should seek refuge at a foreign embassy; with López saying that he later decided to turn himself in on 18 February 2014.