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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 166 of 190 According to an analyst from IHS Global Insight/IHS Jane's,726 the SEBIN had issued “a considerable number of citations to appear against activists and leaders of Popular Will. Human Rights Watch stated that the proceedings against the Voluntad Popular politicians and other members of the opposition illustrate “one of the largest weaknesses of democracy in Venezuela of our time: the lack of independence of the judicial system,” adding that the government “controls the Supreme Court and intimidates the judges”.727 On May 28, 2014 the Political High Command of the Bolivarian Revolution represented in that opportunity by Vice President Jorge Arreaza, first lady Cilia Flores, Minister of Energy Rafael Ramirez, Mayor of Libertador Municipality Jorge Rodriguez and Governor of Aragua state Tareck El Aissami appeared on the TV show of the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela Diosdado Cabello -called “Con el Mazo Dando” (“Striking with the Hammer”). They presented a series of e-mails allegedly belonging to María Corina Machado, the political opposition leader and former member of the National Assembly who had recently been stripped of her seat by the PSUV majority.728 The members of the High Command argued on the show that these e-mails involved senior Venezuelan politicians including Gustavo Tarre Briceño, Diego Arria, Henrique Salas Romer, Eligio Cedeno, Pedro Mario Burelli and Ricardo Koesling as well as the US Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker in a plan to undermine the stability of the Republic of Venezuela and assassinate Nicolás Maduro, Diosdado Cabello and Tareck El Aissami.729 Jorge Rodriguez, the mayor of Libertador, stated that there was “a complot aimed at ending the peace linked to the assassination attempt. They raised funds to commit the murder of Nicolás Maduro, along with a continued military coup, which fortunately was disabled timely.”730 He also explained that all the evidence presented was part of a 726 REFWORLD. (2014) Venezuela: The political party Voluntad Popular, its structure, as well as its main positions and officials; the conditions to become a party member, including a description of the membership card; the treatment reserved for members of this political party by the authorities (2013- September 2014). Refworld. [Online] 24 September 2014. Available from: http://www.refworld.org/docid/556816ccd.html 727 VOLUNTAD POPULAR. (2014) Human Rights Watch condena abusos, persecución política y censura en Venezuela. Voluntad Popular. [Online] March 2014. Available from: http://www.voluntadpopular.com/index.php/ver-noticia/8-noticias/1191-human-rights-watch- condena-abusos-persecucion-politica-y-censura-en-venezuela 728 BBC. (2014) Venezuela opposition congresswoman's mandate revoked. BBC. [Online] 25 March. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-26726282 [Accessed 26 October, 2015] 729 VTV. (2014) Parece que la página no existe. Venezolana de Television. [Online] 28 May. Available from: http://www.vtv.gob.ve/articulos/2014/05/28/el-aissami-estan-en-marcha-planes-magnicidas-de- ultraderecha-y-funcionarios-de-eeuu-para-amenazar-la-paz-y-el-futuro-de-familias-venezolanas-55 [Accessed 26 October, 2015] 730 PERÚ21. (2014) Venezuela: Chavismo denuncia complot e implica a un embajador de EEUU. Perú21. [Online] 28 May. Available from: http://peru21.pe/mundo/venezuela-chavismo-denuncia-complot-