Headquarters of the Venezuelan Attorney General's Office in Urdaneta Avenue, Caracas. File photo.
Venezuelan Minister for Communication and Information Freddy Ñáñez criticized the narrative of different local and international NGOs regarding the rule of law in Venezuela and the justice system amid the recent arrests of NGO activists connected with the terrorist plots unveiled by Venezuelan intelligence agencies.
The NGO narrative is being promoted after the arrest and subsequent presentation before the courts of NGO activist Rocío San Miguel for conspiracy and treason for her participation in the conspiracy plot called “White Bracelet,” which was aimed at the assassination of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, and Governor of Táchira state Freddy Bernal.
After San Miguel’s arrest, various non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Venezuelan NED-financed NGO Provea labeled the arrest as “forced disappearance,” a narrative that was also promoted on social media platforms by far-right figures.
Que @amnistia, @_Provea y sus ONGs asociadas al Departamento de Estado demuestren solidaridad automática con quienes son investigados por delitos contra el orden constitucional en Venezuela, no es cosa nueva. ¿Y si es un intento de Magnicidio lo que se investiga? ¡Mucho más… pic.twitter.com/YptJ88ylsy
— Alfred Nazareth (@luchaalmada) February 13, 2024
Minister Ñáñez, reacting to this narrative in a social media post on Tuesday, February 13, stated that it is not surprising that these NGOs “demonstrate solidarity” with those who are being investigated for crimes against the constitutional order of the country. He added that these NGOs are part of the “strategy to isolate and sanction Venezuela.”
“That Amnesty International and Provea, along with other NGOs linked to the US State Department, demonstrate automatic solidarity with those who are being investigated for crimes against the constitutional order in Venezuela, is not a new thing,” he wrote. “What if it is an assassination attempt that is being investigated? Their apology will be much more vehement! However, the shameless narrative with which they attempt to ignore the laws of a country and the legitimacy of a sovereign state does not cease to amaze us. By now everyone knows that they have always been part of the strategy to isolate and sanction Venezuela.”
Venezuela’s Authorities Arrest Far-Right NGOist Rocío San Miguel
Rocío San Miguel charged with treason
At night of Monday, February 12, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported that Rocío San Miguel had been formally charged at the Second Tribunal Against Terrorism “for the alleged commission of the crimes of treason, conspiracy, terrorism, association, and others,” for which the Attorney General’s Office would request a custodial measure.
He further reported that five more people were presented before the court for their alleged involvement in the White Bracelet terrorist plot, which was supposed to have been launched on January 1 to assassinate President Maduro and other figures associated with the Venezuelan government.
Attorney General Saab added that Alejandro José Gonzales De Canales Plaza was charged with “the alleged commission of the crimes of revelation of political and military secrets putting at risk the security of the nation, obstruction of justice, and association.” The Attorney General’s Office would request a custodial measure for him also.
“As part of the investigations in progress, the Attorney General’s Office will request the relevant court for precautionary measures against the other four detainees also,” Saab stated.
(Últimas Noticias) by Ariadna Eljuri, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
