Far-right colluded with gangsters to destabilize the country (+Leopoldo López) – Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces on Venezuela and beyond

Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported on alleged links to organized criminal gangs The Llano Route And Wilexys with the post-election violence that took place on July 29 and 30.

During a press conference on Thursday, August 15, Saab stated that far-right politician Leopoldo López, through Gilbert Caro, “has sent money to leaders of prison gangs to recruit young people to provoke all kinds of violence.”

The Attorney General presented a video in which gangster Humberto Yánez alias El Valle, who is currently in prison and is being prosecuted for kidnapping and rape, said that he had been contacted by Gilbert Caro, who gave him instructions and money and also sent him voicemail messages from Leopoldo López who told the gangsters that he would get “whatever he needed”. Yánez received $5,000 from the far-right politician.

Attorney General Saab said he had the confessions of three prison gang leaders with “horrific” pasts, who claimed they had received offers of money from Gilber Caro on behalf of Leopoldo López.

Nelson Barreto alias El Ratón is one of them, currently in Uribana prison. He has an extensive record for illegal drug trafficking, serious criminal association, murder and kidnapping. He would have been approached by Caro to recruit people to create violence in the days after July 28 and to coordinate with El Valle.

The attorney general also presented a 17-minute video call between Gilber Caro and El Valle in which “logistics” were discussed.

He added that this prison gang leader is part of a WhatsApp group that works to support the team of Edmundo González and María Corina Machado and that has been organizing disturbances since July 31.

A confession was also obtained from Ronald Fernando Mendoza Castillo, alias Santa Rosa. He claimed that he had been invited to participate in the violent actions and that he also had ties to Caro.

Saab added that Caro is linked to three cases: one in 2017, when he carried an assault rifle and explosive material in his vehicle, another dating back to 2019, when he participated in violent actions during the period of the Guaidó-led coup, and a third in 2021, when he participated in criminal activities in the La Vega parish of Caracas.

Attorney General Saab stressed that Machado’s assignments criminals were deployed to commit all kinds of violent acts, killing 25 people.

He added that 31 investigations have been carried out, including the analysis of 171 videos recorded by the perpetrators of the violence.

He added that during the days of post-election violence, 192 people were injured, 97 of them security forces. “How can one say that these were peaceful demonstrations?” he asked.

Venezuela Electoral Council Rejects Preliminary Report by UN Electoral Experts

There were plans to distribute drugs during the protests
The Attorney General also reported the seizure of the drug captagon of an individual named José Luis Miranda Consuegra in Petare, Caracas. He was said to have distributed the drugs on Saturday, August 17, the date on which a “protest” has been declared by the far-right, which accuses the National Electoral Council of fraud.

Saad said the purpose of the drug is “to drive the people who are going to protest crazy.”

Captagon is known to have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system. “The effects are a feeling of mental and physical well-being, excitement, mental and physical stimulation and prolongation of alertness and suppression of hunger,” Saab said.

José Luis Miranda Consuegra, a Colombian national, was arrested by the Bolivarian National Police in Petare. At the time of his arrest, he had 4,000 units of the synthetic drug in his possession.

The detainee was brought before a judge and charged with illegal drug trafficking and distribution.

“According to the investigation we are conducting now, this person belongs to the Wilexys gang who planned to use this drug with the aim of committing terrorist acts during an opposition activity on Saturday, August 17,” Saab reported.

He added that an investigation is also underway to determine whether Miranda Consuegra has any ties to the aforementioned prison leaders.

Far right wanted repeat of fraud in presidential election
Prosecutor General Saab noted that the far right wanted to repeat the fraud of the presidential election by “buying a web page and falsifying voting data… They thought they could repeat this crime, but they clearly couldn’t.”

According to the attorney general, most opposition supporters are very disappointed and condemn the violence.

“The names are coming out, María Corina Machado, Edmundo González, we have more evidence of the link between Leopoldo López and Gilber Caro and the three leaders of the prison gangs, who are trying to weaponize the violence,” he added.

“You have to be a psychopath to continue with this,” he said, referring to calls from the far right to continue the protests.

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Translation: Orinoco Tribune

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