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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 77 of 190 According to the IACHR some of these “violent groups [those] known as Movimiento Tupamaro, Colectivo La Piedrita, Colectivo Alexis Vive, Unidad Popular Venezolana, and Grupo Carapaica have been acting with the encouragement and acquiescence of the Venezuelan State. According to what has been reported to the Commission, these groups “are urban in nature, (…) and they control popular urban areas (…)”.316 “[T]hese groups have (…) been “act[ing] with the participation or tolerance of state agents.”317 training similar to the police or military, some of their members belong to State entities, and they control popular urban areas, primarily in the city of Caracas. Therefore, it is necessary to have the permission of these violent groups to enter certain zones in the city. 776. According to what was reported to the Commission, these groups have a close relationship with the police forces and occasionally use their resources. In fact, the IACHR received alarming information according to which, despite not being professional police, the leaders of the Movimiento Tupamaro had been had been named directors of the metropolitan police for six months. Moreover, the Commission was informed that its leaders were clearly identified and even appeared publicly alongside leaders linked to the government. 777. According to the information received by the IACHR, the group Colectivo La Piedrita was involved in attacks against the television channel Globovisión, against political actors in Ateneo de Caracas, against the newspaper El Nuevo País, against the headquarters of the COPEI party, against the apostolic nunciature, and against the journalist Marta Colomina. An arrest warrant was issued against its principal leader, Valentín Santana, but he is still free. Additionally, the group Unidad Popular Venezolana is a Venezuelan political party, directed by Lina Ron, and it was involved in the forceful takeover of the Palace of the Archbishop of Caracas, as well as attacks against the television stations RCTV and Globovisión. For the last attack on this television station, an arrest warrant was issued against Lina Ron, which was lifted last October 14. 778. Upon receiving this information during its hearings, the IACHR asked the State for an official pronouncement on the existence or non‐existence of these groups as well as on the legality or illegality of their actions. In his response, the representative of the State indicated: Irregular groups exist, on both sides. In Venezuela, the conflict has become so generalized that there are radical people on the opposition side. So radical that military personnel participated in the coup of April 11, more than 50 generals and officials went to protest in the Plaza Altamira and they were protesting and calling for subversion by their comrades‐at‐arms for four months. These situations, then, have occurred in Venezuela. In our situation, we have the case of Lina Ron, who is a compatriot who supports President Chávez but does not understand that she must respect the law, the case of La Piedrita, these cases are discussed but when something happens there has been punishment. The cases of our campesinos, but they make sense, why? Because who starts killing campesino leaders, since the law on agrarian reform was passed? That is to say, since the moment when they started to combat the landed estates, from that moment, the landowners brought hired assassins from Colombia and sent them to kill campesino leaders.Of course, some of these campesino leaders, already tired of this situation, sometimes commit acts of violence as well. But all of this is a problem of the conflict, a conflict that President Chávez did not create, that has been aimed at overthrowing and ousting the government of President Chávez. 779. The Commission observes with concern the existence of violent groups that act with the participation or tolerance of state agents.” See: IACHR. (2009) Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela. p.205; Furthermore, as an example of the relationship between the Government and this paramilitary groups, the Penitentiary Services Secretary, Iris Valera twitted “we, the colectivos, are the fundamental pillar of the defence of the country.” See: EL UNIVERSAL. (2014) Varela: Colectivos son el pilar para la defensa de la patria; also see: EL NACIONAL. (2014) Varela: Colectivos somos pilar fundamental para la defensa de la patria. 316 IACHR. (2009) Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela. p.205; Furthermore, as an example of the relationship between the Government and this paramilitary groups, the Penitentiary Services Secretary, Iris Valera twitted “we, the colectivos, are the fundamental pillar of the defence of the