The Local Dispatch #5: A Ruthless Killing in the Apure-Táchira Border

A community leader killed in Táchira, dollar sales discounts and the downturn of the Bolívar ferrymen

Cristóbal Picón Ball October 31, 2024

The Local Dispatch features selected stories from local journalists and media organizations who are reporting news from deep inside Venezuela and have no visibility abroad, even when they paint the most accurate picture of what’s actually happening in the country. The Dispatch is published weekly.

Community leader Edwin Santos found dead on a Táchira road after forced disappearance

Last week, one of the most disturbing cases of state violence in recent memory emerged. Edwin Santos, a 36-year-old activist and Voluntad Popular militant, was described as a community leader, part of the regional team in Apure, and a Radio Fe y Alegría host. Santos was also active in his local Catholic parish and had been leading María Corina Machado’s campaign in border communities between Táchira and Apure.

According to a Thursday statement by vicar Gerardo Rosales, who appeared alongside Edwin’s wife, Santos disappeared on Wednesday afternoon. Community members claim that hooded security agents seized him from his motorbike in El Nula, forcing him into a vehicle. Provea reported that detainees at a detention center in Apure saw Santos in custody, isolated, and alive. Voluntad Popular further alleges that he was held at DGCIM’s Guasdualito jail, about three hours east of El Nula.

On Friday afternoon, Santos’s body was found next to his bike on a Táchira road about an hour north of El Nula. Provea noted that his body was discovered on a defective bridge he had long warned was dangerous for locals. CICPC chief Douglas Rico ruled out foul play, claiming Santos died in an accident after hitting a tree. The Interior Ministry ordered CICPC to investigate anyone contradicting this official version, labeling it “lies and disinformation.”

Why this matters: This case mirrors other suspicious deaths in custody of regime opponents like Councilor Fernando Albán and Navy Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo, where official accounts conflicted with allegations of foul play. Santos’s case may represent another politically motivated killing being covered up.

Want to know more? Former Táchira governor César Pérez Vivas and ex-prosecutor Zair Mundaray claim the scene was manipulated, suggesting authorities staged an accident. Voluntad Popular, Vente Venezuela and the U.S. State Department demand an independent autopsy.

Shops offering discounts for dollar payments

As Venezuela’s unofficial dollar exchange rate surges 20% higher than the official one, people are opting to spend their bolivars before they lose more value. Small businesses are feeling the impact the most, as restocking has become difficult with suppliers demanding foreign currency payments.

Retailers in Valencia and Naguanagua told El Carabobeño they are now offering 5% discounts to those who pay in dollars. “We want people to spend their dollars here so we don’t suffer the losses from taking bolivars at the official rate,” said Carolina García, a shop owner. “Having cash in dollars makes it easier to replenish inventory, since bolivars lose value so fast.”

Why it matters: Jorge Morales, owner of an electronics store in Valencia, says that these strategies have boosted sales in recent weeks. If the trend continues, it could ease many Venezuelans’ worries ahead of holiday shopping, as it may help keep shelves stocked. However, in Margarita, there are fears of empty shelves persisting, according to Crónica Uno.

The long waits for a ferryman in San Félix

The small ferries that shuttle passengers and vehicles across the Orinoco between San Félix (Bolívar) and Barrancos de Fajardo (Monagas) are struggling for clients. According to Correo del Caroní, about 25 ferrymen remain at the San Félix dock, taking turns to transport customers when any show up, charging 40 bolivars per person. Demand is so low that a ferryman may only get work every four or five days, making it very hard to cover fuel and repair costs.

Why it matters: The drop in passenger demand reflects the severe economic downturn in Bolívar, one of the regions hit hardest by economic collapse and state neglect.