Daniela Larrealone of the legends of Venezuelan track cycling, Olympic champion and participant in five Olympic Games, was found dead in Las Vegas, the city where she lived after leaving her country due to death threats for her opposition to the Maduro regime.

The Venezuelan Olympic Committee confirmed her death after Las Vegas police found her body in the apartment where she lived. “The COV Board of Directors regrets the loss of Daniela Larreal. With an outstanding career in track cycling, she managed to represent us with honor in five Olympic Games, accumulate four Olympic diplomas and triumphs that always filled us with great pride,” they posted on their ‘X’ account.

Investigations are still progressing and the first indications indicate that Daniela Larreal had been dead for several days. Local media reported that the Venezuelan woman did not show up for work last Monday and on Friday the police raided the apartment where the cyclist lived.

Nevada state authorities attributed the death of the Venezuelan athlete due to possible asphyxiation. The autopsy reportedly found food remains in the animal’s trachea, so a possible drowning has not been ruled out.

Criticism and opposition to the Nicolás Maduro regime

The Venezuelan athlete’s opposition to the Nicolás Maduro regime in Venezuela was well-known. Daniela Larreal joined ‘Vente Venezuela’, a liberal-republican political movement, in 2018 and on several occasions recorded videos with messages to her compatriots calling for change in their country.

In 2016, he posted a message on social media in which he explained that he had received death threats following some of his statements.