Venezuelan Attorney General: Opposition Violence After Elections Left 9 Deaths and 78 Injured

Venezuelan Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, informed that the violent events which took place between April 15 and 16 de abril, after the general election, left 9 deaths and 78 injured.

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April 24, 2013.- Venezuelan Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, informed that the violent events which took place between April 15 and 16 de abril, after the general election, left 9 deaths and 78 injured.

In a press conference, Ms. Diaz provided a summary of the investigation that her office is conducting about the violent events.

She explained that these events originated as a result of irresponsible calls of some political actors to act against persons and institutions in the country, including the Comprehensive Diagnostic Centers (CDI), Food Markets (Mercal), Food Producer and Distributor (PDVAL) and locations of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

“On April 14 the elections to elect the President of the Republic were held in Venezuela, and after the governing body (National Electoral Council) issued the results, there were calls made through some media and networks like Twitter and others, by direct and subliminal messages, encouraging citizens to take street actions.  Hostile actions and contrary to the law, which led a sector of the public to attack another sector of the population,” Ortega Diaz recalled.

According to the statement presented by the Attorney General, in the area called La Limonera, Baruta municipality, Miranda state, two deaths occurred when a group of people linked to the opposition, in a hostile and violent manner, hindered the free vehicular traffic.

“En ese momento iba transitando un grupo de personas afectas al chavismo y este grupo de oposición, desde un vehículo, procedió a efectuar algunos disparos con armas de fuego, que impactaron a dos personas, que fueron Luis Ponce Ordóñez y Rosa Inés del Valle Reyes”, precisó, al tiempo que indicó que por este caso está privado de libertad una persona, por el delito de homicidio calificado por motivos innobles.

“At that time, there was a group of people linked to the Chavez Government (chavistas) passing and the opposition group, from a vehicle, proceeded to fire gun shots, which hit two people, who were identified as Luis Ponce Ordonez and Rosa Inés Kings Valley,” she said, while indicating that in this case, there is a person under custody for the crime of aggravated homicide by non-noble motives.

In the parrish named Antonio Borjas Romero of the Maracaibo municipality, Zulia state, two children died, 11 and 12 year old.

“It was in the parish Antonio Romero, where a group of Chavez supporters celebrated the victory of Nicolas Maduro after the presidential elections of April 14.  This celebration was hit by a 350cc truck, in an action of hatred, because not only attacked the celebration, but the person backed up the vehicle and rammed against the crowd again, leaving a toll of two dead people,” said Luisa Ortega Diaz.

She explained that in this case, the 350 truck has been retained by pólice, and there is a capture order to aprehend the responsible criminals. 

La fiscal general de la República, además, añadió que en la entidad zuliana falleció el ciudadano Johan Antonio Hernández Acosta, específicamente en la avenida principal del Barrio La Música, donde fue arrollado por un vehículo con características que hacen presumir que era de oposición.

The Attorney General also added that in the state of Zulia the citizen Johan Antonio Hernández Acosta died, specifically in the main street of the Barrio La Musica, where he was hit by a vehicle with features which presumably correspond to opposition supporters.

In Zulia also there was the death of Mr. Luis Eduardo Garcia Polanco, who died around the National Electoral Council (CNE), in Maracaibo, which was besieged by right wing opposition supporters.

In Sucre state one person was killed, identified as Joseph Bastardo Ender, while Táchira state recorded the murder of Henry Rangel La Rosa, who was shot when he celebrated the triumph of Nicolas Maduro in the presidential elections of April 14.

“He got shot by a group of motorcyclists, which according to the testimony, could be supporters of the opposition. In this case three people were arrested: Jesus Antonio Galvis, who was charged with the crime of murder, and two others who were charged with the offense of facilitating the crime of qualified homicide, Joel Antonio Contrestas and Jose Omar Leon, ” she said.

Also in Táchira, Keber Guevara died, who was an officer of the National Bolivarian Police (PNB).

“These are the nine deaths that we have across the country, and certainly, are related to events that occurred subsequent to the pronouncement of electoral council that triggered these violent acts,” said the prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz.