Venezuela: Public Ministry Advances in Monday Violence Investigations

The attorney general of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, revealed details of the investigations carried out by the Public Ministry (MP) on the destabilizing actions that the far-right sectors of the opposition initiated this Monday in Venezuela.

During a press conference this Wednesday, July 31, Saab warned that structured and organized crime groups are being used to carry out acts of vandalism, terrorist actions, and to falsify violent actions in order to generate fake news.

Saab displayed various videos in which subjects are seen threatening to kill citizens, burning public property, and then, following their arrests, confessing to having been paid to carry out this series of destabilizing and violent actions.

Fiscal General Tarek William Saab actualizó a 1.062 la cifra de detenidos durante focos de violencia en el país https://t.co/KBZI3ABPht #31Jul pic.twitter.com/NUne4SzyL2

— Ministerio Público venezolano (@MinpublicoVEN) July 31, 2024

In light of these events, the head of the MP added that there will be no impunity in judging these actions, regardless of the fact that the detainees are asking to be released in tears. He also denounced the fact that these same people are simulating punishable acts using “tomato sauce [as fake blood]” to spread videos of alleged attacks by Chavistas that never occurred.

Tarek William Saab also updated the number of those arrested for these destabilizing actions recorded on Monday, July 29, which currently stands at 1,062. 77 law enforcement agents were injured in the process, and one has been killed in the state of Aragua.

He also clarified that if, according to the investigations, they determine that any of the arrested did not participate in the destabilizing actions, they will be released. However, those found responsible will remain incarcerated for many years.

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The attorney general reported that he has open investigations ongoing against the masterminds, and so does not rule out new arrests.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office has open and ongoing cases, not against one or two masterminds, but against several,” Saab explained, “and based on the evidence we are gathering in each case, we cannot rule out new arrests that have to do with these masterminds.”

In this regard, he added that they are investigating who made the payments in the first place, since the evidence and confessions reveal that there are organized backers to the far-right making these payments, and they are going to be charged and arrested.

(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/AU