 “With López’s imprisonment and the brutally repressive tactics that police, armed forces, and paramilitary groups are using against his supporters, the Venezuelan state has lost any democratic façade it may have had,” said HRF chairman Garry Kasparov.Former students from Kenyon College put forth an effort to support López since he was detained and helped create freeleopoldo.com.Editorial columns from "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post" have also called for his release.