Caracas Chronicles

Most chavistas accuse us in the opposition of being rabid lunatics who only see their own side of the story, or something along those lines. So, in the interest of impartiality, and in accordance with the spirit of togetherness that we should embrace during the holiday season, I translate the following note from El Universal.

“On the last working day of the year, the court in charge of the murder of Ms. Maritza Ron has convicted Yohon Carlos Jiménez Esalas, Henry José Parra Linero and Pedro Celestino Ramos Poche, aka ‘the Altamira shooters’, to 11 years of prison.

These three men opened fire against a group of demonstrators congregated in Altamira Square a few hours after the Presidential Recall election, to protest against the fraud denounced by leaders of the Democratic Coordinator.

The shooting resulted in the death of Ms Ron, 61, and in the injuries of José Miguel Acheta, Elio Acevedo, Luisa Amelia Marcano, Hilda Mendoza, Jairo Martínez, Emilio Hernández, Nancy Castro and Ernesto Alvarenga.

The General Prosecutor’s office, thanks to Prosecutors Alejandro Castillo and Yoneiba Parra, charges Parra Linero with intentional homicide with corresponding complicity, causing serious and minor injuries and illegal posession of a handgun. Jiménez and Ramos were charged with illegal posession of a handgun and public intimidation.” (end of quote)

Now, I don’t know where the “locked-up cat” is in all of this, and by no means does this change the overwhelming opinion from this side of the tracks regarding the incompetence and partiality of the Prosecutor General’s office and the justice system in general. And I don’t even want to comment on the fact that shooting at demonstrators and killing and injuring people only gets you 11 years in prison, which will probably end up being 6 thanks to parole, breaks for “good behavior” and other nonsense. However, credit where credit is due: if this is indeed the case and these guys are going to jail, then justice has been served in a higher measure than most of us expected. So there you go Isaías, Merry Christmas.