Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab during a press conference in Caracas on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. Photo: Public Ministry of Venezuela.
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab has issued a statement that far-right NGOist Rocío San Miguel was not a victim of forced disappearance. He further noted that the Venezuelan people know very well what real forced disappearances are, since during the governments prior to that of Hugo Chávez, there were over 3,000 cases, many of which are still not resolved.
During a press conference on Wednesday, February 14, Saab offered details about the arrest of the president of the USAID-supported NGO Citizen’s Control, following a media trend spread by local and international mainstream media outlets, claiming that she was “disappeared.”
The head of the Public Ministry condemned the fact that these media outlets tried to sell San Miguel’s detention as a “forced disappearance,” despite the fact that the detention was carried out within the framework of a criminal investigation and following an arrest warrant.
“They have no right to say that there was a forced disappearance in this case,” explained the prosecutor. “That consists of the kidnapping of a person, who does not appear as detained, that no one communicates that was detained, and who is not presented in court.”
Tarek William Saab: Aquí conocemos bien lo que son las desapariciones forzadas. En el llamado puntofijismo hubo 3.000 desaparecidos, la mayoría de los cuales todavía están siendo buscados
— Ministerio Público venezolano (@MinpublicoVEN) February 14, 2024
Saab noted that it is evident that in this case, the main characteristic of forced disappearance, which is the refusal of the authorities to recognize the deprivation of liberty, is not met, given that it was reported.
He added that Rocío San Miguel was brought before the Second Court Against Terrorism and detained there for the alleged commission of the crimes of treason, conspiracy, terrorism, and association, among others.
During the hearing, five other people were charged for being allegedly linked to the terrorist plots against the Venezuelan people that were recently unveiled by Venezuelan intelligence agencies, in particular the so-called Operation White Bracelet.
Operation White Bracelet consisted of the planning of an attack against the 21st Infantry Brigade of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), in the state of Táchira. There, they would steal weapons, and then attempt against the life of governor Freddy Bernal. Subsequently, they would begin an escalation of terrorist acts until an attempt was to be made on the life of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela’s Authorities Arrest Far-Right NGOist Rocío San Miguel
The prosecutor revealed that Rocío San Miguel’s arrest was carried out because one of the detained conspiracists mentioned her as part of their plans. In total for this case, there are 19 detainees and 15 arrest warrants pending to be executed.
“She is verbatim mentioned in the order for the operation for which Anyelo Heredia says that they held Lieutenant Colonel César Ciero responsible, she is directly linked,” Saab stated, adding, “she had a mission, which was to communicate in real time the progress of the terrorist actions that would be carried out. Imagine that.”
He also noted the delicate and damning nature of the evidence surrounding her role. “[The conspiracists] linked her to that campaign against the FANB, and she recognizes her role in conspiring and harming the FANB in both Europe and the United States,” he stated, according to messages and handwritten documents seized.
Saab also mentioned that the sixth person involved in the hearing is the retired officer Alejandro José Gonzales De Canales Plaza, against whom a measure of preventive judicial deprivation of liberty was requested and agreed upon. He is accused of the alleged commission of the crimes of revealing political and military secrets concerning the security of the nation, in addition to obstruction of justice, association, and misrepresentation of forced disappearances.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
