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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 37 of 190 injuries, public intimidation, burning a public building, and damage to public property" and terrorism. 113 Following a few days of threats,114 on 18 February 2014, after a demonstration in Plaza Brion, Chacao, Caracas, calling together the people to join him in a pacific demonstration to demand an investigation of the events to clarify the GoV responsibility, the release of the politics prisoners, the end of the repression and the disarming of the “colectivos”,115 Leopoldo López publicly surrendered himself to the GNB.116 On the 15 February 2014, Nicolás Maduro in TV accused him of being a “fascist” and a “coward” responsible for the damages in the Office of Public Prosecutions, and called the people and the FANB to be alert.117 In the overall context of absence of separation of powers between the Executive and the Judiciary, such a qualification as an enemy of the state by the President himself subjects Mr Lopez to an inevitable outcome in relation to his trial, as proven by the many previous similar cases determined in the GoV’s favour. While, as reported by local and international NGOs and media, most of the protests were peaceful,118 there have been allegations by the GoV that some of the protests were violent. In those cases on which violence aroused during the protests, the GoV security 113 EL TIEMPO. (2014) Venezuela: El arresto del alcalde Ceballos podría ser el inicio de una “caza de brujas.” Un tribunal ordena la detención de Leopoldo López. El Tiempo. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://eltiempo.com.ve/venezuela/politica/un-tribunal-ordena-la-detencion-de- leopoldo-López/126105 [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 114 BOBBIO, L. (2014) Allanan casa del padre de Leopoldo López. El Nacional. [Online] 15 February. Available from: http://www.el-nacional.com/sociedad/Allanan-casa-papa-Leopoldo- López_0_356364548.html [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; EL VELEZOLANO. (2014) En video: funcionarios de la DIM allanaron violentamente la sede de VP. El Venezolano. [Online] 17 February. Available from: http://elvenezolanonews.com/fotos-y-video-comision-de-contra-inteligencia-militar- allana-violentamente-sede-de-vp/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; ULTIMAS NOTICIAS. (2014) Denuncian que Dgim intentó allanar “de forma violenta“ sede de VP. Ultimas Noticias. [Online] 13 February. Available from: http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/denuncian- que-dgin-intento-allanar-de-forma-violen.aspx [Accessed 23 October, 2015] (video included) 115 NONTIENDO. (2014) Leopoldo López se pronuncia en este VIDEO y convoca marchar el 18F. Nontiendo. [Online] 16 February. Available from: http://www.nontiendo.com/noticias/leopoldo-Lopez- se-pronuncia-en-este-video-y-convoca-marchar-el-18f [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 116 EL UNIVERSAL. (2014) Leopoldo López se entrega a funcionarios de la GG. El Universal. [Online] 18 February. Available from: http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140218/leopoldo- Lopez-se-entrega-a-funcionarios-de-la-gn [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; ULTIMAS NOTICIAS. (2014) Entrega de Leopoldo López. Youtube. [Online] 18 February. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYUIOaTK5Ys [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; EL PAIS. (2014) Hallado muerto Rodolfo González, prisionero político venezolano. El Pais. [Online] 19 February. Available from: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2014/02/19/actualidad/1392848599_869836.html [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 117 NOTICIAS24. (2014) Nicolás Maduro a Leopoldo López: “Cobarde fascista entrégate, te estamos buscando.” Noticias24. [Online] 15 February. Available from: http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/222387/maduro-informa-que-leopoldo-Lopez-esta- profugo-de-la-justicia-cobarde-entregate-te-estamos-buscando/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 118 HRW (2014). Punished for Protesting: Rights Violations in Venezuela’s Streets, Detention Centers, and Justice System; OVCS (2014). Conflictividad social en Venezuela en 2014. Observatorio Venezolano de Conflictividad Social. [Online] Available from: http://www.observatoriodeconflictos.org.ve/oc/wp- content/uploads/2015/01/Conflictividad-en-Venezuela-2014.pdf [Accessed 23 October, 2015]