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RED VZLA Urgent Request to the OTP-3

REDACTED Page 35 of 190 The attacks against mayors were a clear pattern pursuant to the GOV’s policy. Nicolás Maduro himself publicly threatened with prison the successor of Scarano as San Diego mayor following his arrest.100 Adán Chávez, Governor of Barinas, member of the PSUV and brother of former President Chávez, threatened the mayors José Luis Machín and Ronald Aguilar by stating that they could end like Scarano and Ceballos.101 On 27 March 2014, Tareck El Aissami, Governor of Aragua and member of the PSUV, accused Delson Guárate, mayor of Iragorry, of perpetrating the crimes of instigation of violence and committing terrorism, conspiracy and murders.102 In April 2014, the Venezuelan Mayors’ Association denounced that 23 of the 76 opposition majors had been subject to judicial persecution.103 The GoV attack on opposition politicians did not stop at mayors. In March 2014, the National Assembly stripped congresswoman María Corina Machado from her seat at the Assembly.104 Diosdado Cabello, president of the Assembly, argued that she had “accepted a position with the hostile government of Panama as an alternate representative”.105 A few days before, Panama’s representative to the OAS had yielded his time to Machado, so that she could address the committee and speak about the crisis in Venezuela. The Supreme Tribunal of Justice confirmed the decision of the National Assembly.106 The move was widely criticised and qualified as illegal by local and 100 MADURADAS. (2014) DICTADOR SUELTO! Maduro amenaza con cárcel al alcalde Ramón Muchacho 101 LA PATILLA. (2014) Adán Chávez se suma a las amenazas de encarcelamiento a alcaldes opositores 102 NOTICIAS24. (2014) Denuncia ante el MP a Delson Guárate por “actos terroristas”: “Lo espera una celda fría” 103 NOTICIAS24. (2014) Asociación de Alcaldes por Venezuela solicitó una “audiencia privada con la Unasur.” Noticias24. [Online] 4 April. Available from: http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/232251/asociacion-de-alcaldes-por-venezuela-solicito- una-audiencia-privada-con-unasur/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 104 BBC. Venezuela: Opposition legislator Machado returns to Caracas. BBC. [Online] 27 March. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26761798 [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; THE GUARDIAN. (2015) Venezuelan hardliner María Corina Machado barred from public office. The Guardian. [Online] 14 July. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/15/venezuelan-hardliner-maria-corina-machado- barred-from-public-office [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 105 PANAM POST. (2014) Venezuela: María Corina Machado Loses Parliamentary Immunity. Panam Post. [Online] 24 March. Available from: http://panampost.com/panam-staff/2014/03/24/venezuela- maria-corina-machado-loses-parliamentary-immunity/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 106 NOTICIAS24. (2014) Diosdado Cabello: María Corina ya no es diputada y no podrá entrar al Parlamento. Noticias24. [Online] 24 March. Available from: http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/230166/an-prohibe-ingreso-de-mcm-al-parlamento-y- suspende-su-sueldo-hasta-que-termine-investigacion-en-su-contra/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] (Video included); EL UNIVERSAL. (2014) María Corina Machado: Soy diputada mientras el pueblo así lo quiera. El Universal. [Online] 24 March. Available from: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y- politica/protestas-en-venezuela/140324/maria-corina-machado-soy-diputada-mientras-el-pueblo-asi- lo-quiera [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; NOTICIAS24. (2014) Participación de MCM en asamblea de la OEA tiene consecuencias jurídicas. Noticias24. [Online] 30 March. Available from: http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/231295/tsj-estudiara-el-caso-de-maria-corina-

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