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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 42 of 190 brains behind the armed insurrection in Venezuela”.145 Maduro stated that González had weapons and money, and that he had hired snipers and planned several barricades around the country, especially in Altamira. Then Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace Miguel Rodríguez Torrez elaborated on the details of the plan on TV and accused González of being a “logistic operator” of the barricades and protests. Rodríguez Torres stated that González was working with several other individuals, including then mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma, Floirán Barrios, Darío Ramínez, Pablo Medina, Mirta Fernández, Rosmith Mantilla, Ana Karina García, Iván Carratú Molina (former Deputy Admiral of the Navy), Iván Ballesteros (a journalist, later summarily fired from his radio program following an order of CONATEL), Victor Ruiz, Lilian Tintori (Leopoldo López’s wife) and several students leaders, including Juan Requesens and Gaby Arellano, among others. The GoV could never present strong evidence against González. González was a 64- year-old private pilot who, along with his wife, supported the students that protested in Altamira, giving them food and water.146 He committed suicide in jail one day before his scheduled transfer to one of the most dangerous prisons in Venezuela. His death caused public outrage and several NGOs demanded an investigation of the case and expressed their concerns.147 On 16 April 2014, PSUV congressman Juan Carlos Alemán filed a criminal complaint before the Office of Public Prosecutions charging Óscar García Mendoza, a renowned opposition member and banker, María Corina Machado (former congresswoman previously dismissed from the National Assembly by the pro-government majority), Otto Reich (former American Ambassador to the United Nations), Diego Arria (former Governor of Caracas and Venezuelan Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations) and Alfonso Rivas (renowned opposition businessman), among many others, with perpetrating treason, conspiracy and criminal association. 145 GLOBOVISION. (2014) Capturan a El Aviador, presunto "cerebro de las guarimbas.” Globovision. [Online] 29 April. Available from: http://globovision.com/capturan-a-presunto-cerebro-de-la- insurreccion-guarimbera/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; EL PROPRIO. (2014) Capturan a “el aviador” supuesto cerebro de las guaridas venezolanas. El Proprio. [Online] 29 April. Available from: http://www.elpropio.com/actualidad/Capturan-Aviador-supuesto-guarimbas- venezolanas_0_509349119.html [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 146 REPORTERO24. (2015) REPRESIÓN: Muere en prisión Rodolfo González “El Aviador.” Reportero24. [Online] 13 March. Available from: http://www.reportero24.com/2015/03/represion- muere-en-prision-rodolfo-gonzalez-el-aviador/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; MEZA, A. (2015) Hallado muerto Rodolfo González, prisionero político venezolano. El Pais. [Online] 13 March. Available from: http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2015/03/13/actualidad/1426274492_683809.html [Accessed 23 October, 2015]; VENEZUELA AL DÍA. (2015) Provea denunciará ante la CIDH tortura psicológica contra Rodolfo González. Venezuela al Día. [Online] 15 March. Available from: http://www.venezuelaaldia.com/2015/03/provea-denunciara-ante-la-cidh-tortura-psicologica-contra- rodolfo-gonzalez/ [Accessed 23 October, 2015] 147 VENEZUELA AL DÍA. (2015) Provea denunciará ante la CIDH tortura psicológica contra Rodolfo González