Caracas Chronicles

For Wednesday, November 23, 2016. Translated by Javier Liendo.

With a nominal vote demanded by lawmaker Pedro Carreño as proof of “who really supports drug trafficking and the DEA,” the National Assembly approved an agreement to investigate the case of Efraín Campo Flores and Franqui Flores De Freitas, the presidential couple’s nephews who were found guilty for conspiring to traffick drugs and conspiring to handle and distribute said drug in the United States. Out of Chavismo’s set of arguments, lawmaker Edwin Rojas presented perhaps the most shameful one, since he claimed that the trial was rigged and that there was no evidence of crime. If he were consistent, he’d work for the release of political prisoners who are kept in prison with that exact array of characteristics, even without a trial.

Dumb or accomplices?

In view of this base and vile play, we can say that what you’re doing against these boys is a coñoemadrada and you’re all cabrones of that

Lawmaker Julio Montoya said that it’s not his place to establish whether Cilia Flores or Nicolás are drug traffickers, but that it’s imperative for them to answer how that could happen without them noticing. He gave two possible explanations: “either they’re dumb or they’re accomplices.” Pedro Carreño spoke of “two poor boys,” claiming that the final goal is “criminalizing the revolution” and boldly said that “a power attempts to impose its will by accusing others,” without mentioning Chavismo.

Parliament’s agreement compels the Executive Branch to issue a statement about the case; demands the other authorities implicated in the case to cooperate with the investigation and urges the Prosecutor’s Office and the Comptroller’s Office to investigate to determine if there’s merit for a trial. The Special Committee responsible for this case will include legislators José Luis Pirela, Ismael García, Teodoro Campos, José Trujillo, Ismael León and two vacant seats for the PSUV. I hope they won’t be occupied by Edwin Rojas or Pedro Carreño. The latter’s closing phrase was: “In view of this base and vile play, we can say that what you’re doing against these boys is a coñoemadrada and you’re all cabrones of that.”

Delcy’s lawsuit

In an article she wrote for Diario las Américas, journalist Jessica Carrillo clarified that the Narcosobrinos didn’t enter Haiti with diplomatic passports, and these documents are not included in the reports presented by either the DEA or the Prosecution. To be fair, the diplomatic passports are a myth. Last night, governor Henrique Capriles posted pictures of the passports allegedly used by the Flores. Without mentioning the nephews, the Venezuelan Foreign Affairs minister said this Tuesday that she’ll sue Capriles for forging documents “to trick public opinion.” The governor answered: “Now the passports are the issue, instead of the drug that was trafficked from the presidential hangar. This government is shameless.”

Elogio’s lawsuit

Since PDVSA isn’t in default and supposedly has fulfilled its payment commitments, Nicolás used his radio show “La hora de la salsa” to accuse the credit rating agency JP Morgan of advancing a financial campaign against PDVSA and said that Eulogio del Pino will sue the company: “The US Treasury Department’s behind all this,” he claimed right before demanding apologies and suggesting that the dialogue table should sign an agreement condemning JP Morgan’s public attitude against the country.

The National Assembly’s lawsuit

The head of Parliament’s Comptrollership Committee, lawmaker Freddy Guevara, filed a lawsuit before the Prosecutor’s Office against Venezuela’s ambassador before the UN, Rafael Ramírez, for alleged corruption: “He said that he’d sue us before the Prosecutor’s Office, but we came to sue you first and you have to answer the country,” adding that as plaintiff, he’ll be there to see if Ramírez stands by his word and has the courage to go to trial to confess what he did with PDVSA’s money, saying that he has enough evidence to demonstrate that Ramírez is responsible for embezzling $11 billion.

Unlimited depravity

In an illegal and absolutely deplorable act, the Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal started a hearing without the presence of either the defense or judge Afiuni, who refused to enter the chamber without her lawyer

Lawyer José Amalio Graterol denounced that judge María Lourdes Afiuni could be represented by the General Public Defender, Susana Barreiros. The very same who, as a judge, sentenced Leopoldo López to 13 years in prison. “In an illegal and absolutely deplorable act, the Judicial Disciplinary Tribunal started a hearing without the presence of either the defense or judge Afiuni, who refused to enter the chamber without her lawyer,” said Graterol, explaining that the Tribunal, formed by three justices -two of them former PSUV lawmakers: Hernán Pacheco and Carlos Medina- refused to accept the judge’s lawyer, Jeset García, and wants to impose Susana Barreiros. Judge Afiuni, sentenced by Hugo Chávez on TV, was in prison for three years and eight months and have been under restricted freedom for another three years and three months.

Through the window?

If they throw us out the door, we’ll get in through the window

PSUV lawmaker Saúl Ortega claimed that Mercosur violates its own rules by suspending Venezuela from the bloc: “They’re violating the foundational agreement, called the Treaty of Asunción and the Ouro Petro Protocol, which is essential to the norm. They’re completely violating it; starting with dismissing Venezuela’s temporary presidency without any justification,” and remarked that Mercosur has dealt a lethal blow to the member countries’ economy.

Meanwhile, Nicolás said: “If they throw us out the door, we’ll get in through the window,” and he made a call to prevent oligarchies to impose themselves through a nonexistent sanction. In response to the argument presented by Paraguay’s Foreign Affairs minister, Eladio Loizaga, about the 112 resolutions of Mercosur that Venezuela won’t be able to incorporate because they interfere with the country’s internal legislation, Nicolás said: “That can’t be a reason to suspend us, because when a country enters into an international treaty or agreement and it has clauses that collide with internal legislation, reserves are made and Venezuela has made no reserves in this.” If Delcy stopped using Twitter and focused on the work for which she’s being paid, December 2nd would have another possible scenario.

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Lawmaker Rosmit Mantilla was sworn in this Tuesday in the National Assembly after being released last November 17th, after being imprisoned in El Helicoide (SEBIN) for two years and six months. Rosmit said that his first parliamentary task will be to defend the freedom of political prisoners.