Rural Deaths in Venezuela Politically Motivated, Linked to Paramilitaries, Rights Group Says

[Judi Lynn]

Rural Deaths in Venezuela Politically Motivated, Linked to Paramilitaries, Rights Group Says

Sunday, October 06, 2013

The alleged murder of a rural worker in Lara state is the latest in a series of killings allegedly linked to paramilitaries in the far north of the Andes, according to a local human rights group.

On Monday night, 24 year old Jose Perez was en route to the rural community of Cerro Negro when he was reportedly killed.

According to the Association for Campesino (rural worker) Human Rights (APDHC), Perez may have been murdered by individuals associated with the El Fernandito gang- a group with alleged links to paramilitaries operating out of Lara and neighbouring Portuguesa state.

So far, gangs in the mountainous region between Lara and Portuguesa may be responsible for the deaths of between 10-12 campesinos in the area this year.

More:
http://www.zcommunications.org/rural-deaths-in-venezuela-politically-motivated-linked-to-paramilitaries-rights-group-says-by-ryan-mallett-outtrim.html

[Socialistlemur]

1. In a country with over 18000 murders a year this is a drop in the bucket

This is common place in Venezuela, where they suffer from a very serious crime wave. I do find the use of the term "paramilitary" in the pro government propaganda system to be quite prominent. Are you trying to imply that Venezuela is crawling with "paramilitaries"? As far as I've seen in reports by professional security firms the most prominent armed groups are FARC, ELN and drug/kidnap gangs working in the border region. Most of them with the cooperation of corrupt Venezuelan military officials.

If you don't understand the corruption extends to the most critical and prominent Venezuelan generals then explain how 1.2 tons of cocaine could travel through the country,get into the international airport and aboard an Air France flight. That was either the tip of the iceberg of a giant smuggling mafia within the regime, or it was mounted on purpose to frame military officers and carry out a purge using drugs as an excuse. Time will tell.

But I don't think these little articles about paramilitaries will sell. That government is riddled with corruption of the worst kind. It's a shame things turned out this way, but chavismo is a miserable failure and Maduro isn't the answer. I think the guy really needs to resign.