Extreme Right-Wing Venezuelan Contacted Criminal Gangs for Hate Crimes After 28J

Venezuelan General Prosecutor Tarek William Saab, Aug 15, 2024 Photo: Radio Miraflores

August 15, 2024 Hour: 6:52 pm

The Attorney-General shows evidence of links between criminal groups and violent opponents, responsible for the deaths of 25 people.

Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, presented evidence on the progress of investigations into violent acts following the presidential elections of 28 July.

The videos shown by the Attorney General show several detainees who claim to have links with the opposition leader Leopoldo López, from whom they received money and guidance. The terrorist Gilbert Caro is one of those mentioned in the videos revealed by William Saab.

In statements during interrogations with prosecutors, Luis Humberto Martínez confessed to having received constant money from Gilbert Caro and Leopoldo López.

Explained some of the concrete plans for the days after 28 July, which included violent actions against the National Electoral Council in its sheds in Mariche (where thousands of polling stations were guarded), as well as other Venezuelan official institutions.

According to William Saab, the funding came from the Fundación Familia Patria y Sociedad, that it is related to the parties of the Vente Venezuela environment and that they were the intellectual authors and the political support of the fascist media coup of April 11, 2002 against the commander Hugo Chavez.

He also described the criminal records of those involved, which include convictions for robbery, assault and aggravated homicide.

In all cases, the people involved acknowledged their relationship with Gilber Caro and how he offered them money to provoke violence after the election day on July 28.

He recalled that Gilbert Caro is a terrorist followed by three cases mainly, the first of them was arrested in 2017 for carrying an assault rifle and explosive materials in his vehicle, in 2019 participated in vandalism to disrupt public order, during 2021 was in criminal actions in the parish of La Vega of Caracas.

He also presented evidence of the joint actions between criminal groups and groups supporting the campaign of Edmundo González, former presidential candidate of the extreme right.

The evidence presented, from screenshots of conversations between those involved, shows plans for post-election violence.

According to the attorney general, his department’s criminal action prevented violent actions from spreading for weeks, as was the original plan of the far-right.

He denounced that some of the actions conceived by the extreme right to maintain destabilization include the use of violence against opposition demonstrations scheduled for this Saturday, in order to hold the government accountable for what happens there.

Announced that the report will be presented to the United Nations and «all international forums» to show «the whole truth of Venezuela», with videos, information and annexes.