Venezuelans Protest to Demand Extradition of Cuban Exile

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBDGK5E09E.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Thousands of Venezuelans demonstrated nationwide Saturday as the government demanded the extradition of a Cuban exile accused of plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jet that killed 73 people.

State-run television reported that thousands joined rallies at city plazas across the country to demand Washington turn over Luis Posada Carriles, now being held by U.S. immigration authorities.

Crowds of President Hugo Chavez's supporters gathered in the historic Plaza Bolivar in Caracas, dancing to a band that sang one song urging the crowd to "fight against the protection of Luis Posada Carriles" by the United States.

"Legally, the United States must extradite Posada Carriles, a terrorist who committed crimes in Venezuela by planning the bombing here, then escaping from jail," said Carlos Bracamente, a 48-year-old shopkeeper.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Hundreds of marchers call for extradition

Posted on Sun, May. 22, 2005

VENEZUELA

Hundreds of marchers call for extradition

Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez demanded that the U.S. turn over Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles, who's accused of several terrorism acts.

BY CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER
Associated Press


CARACAS - Hundreds of Venezuelans demonstrated in Caracas on Saturday as the government called nationwide protests to demand the extradition of a Cuban exile wanted for allegedly plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jet that killed 73 people. State-run television reported that thousands joined other rallies at city plazas across the country to demand Washington turn over Luis Posada Carriles, now being held by U.S. immigration authorities. More precise crowd estimates were not immediately available from cities outside the capital.
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The decision by U.S. officials to charge Posada with only an immigration-related crime also has drawn criticism from 20 Democratic U.S. lawmakers, led by Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. The group has sent President Bush a letter calling Posada a ''terrorist'' and saying he should be handed over to Venezuela.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. José Serrano, D-N.Y., said: ``Here's a guy who has admitted to committing terrorist attacks, who escaped justice by bribing his guards and hightailing it out of prison, and we're not willing to extradite him to face justice?''

'How can we with any credibility ask other nations to help us out with our global struggle against terror when we won't cooperate with other nations' anti-terror proceedings?'' Serrano added.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11708067.htm
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[Algorem]

2. Posada's extradition focus of Venezuelan protests

Venezuela wants U.S. to turn over bombing suspect

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0522venezuela22.html

Christopher Toothaker
Associated Press
May. 22, 2005 12:00 AM

CARACAS, Venezuela - Thousands of Venezuelans demonstrated nationwide Saturday as the government demanded the extradition of a Cuban exile accused of plotting the 1976 bombing of a Cuban jet that killed 73 people.

State-run television reported that thousands joined rallies at city plazas across the country to demand Washington turn over Luis Posada Carriles, who is being held by U.S. immigration authorities. The state-run channel did not show images of demonstrations in other cities, and more precise crowd estimates were not available.

Hundreds of President Hugo Chavez's supporters gathered in historic Plaza Bolivar in Caracas, dancing to a band that sang one song urging the crowd to "fight against the protection of Luis Posada Carriles" by the United States. advertisement

"Legally, the United States must extradite Posada Carriles, a terrorist who committed crimes in Venezuela by planning the bombing here, then escaping from jail," said Carlos Bracamente, a 48-year-old shopkeeper...


U.S.-Venezuela relations increasingly tense

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002283993_venez22.html

By Carol J. Williams(CIA)

Los Angeles Times

CARACAS, Venezuela — The case of pro-democracy activist Maria Corina, who goes to court next month on charges of treason and conspiracy, illustrates just how far the U.S. image has fallen in the nine months since President Hugo Chávez defeated a recall effort.

The act of treason Machado allegedly committed? Her human-rights organization accepted $31,000 from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy for voter-education workshops ahead of the divisive August recall referendum.

"We've gotten money from other countries, and it hasn't been a problem," Machado, a single mother of three, said of the donation to her ("Join Up") civic-awareness movement. "I could go to jail for 16 years for something that is perfectly legal."

Relations between Washington and the leftist Venezuelan president, who has declared a "revolution for the poor" against claimed Yankee imperialist oppression, have never been smooth. But since defeating the recall effort, Chávez has become even more antagonistic, using profanity in describing President Bush and making vulgar suggestions for how Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should resolve her "frustrations" after she described him as a threat to the stability of the region...

[Judi Lynn]

3. Posada Carriles should be extradited

Posada Carriles should be extradited

Otros Titulares
Posada Carriles debe ser extraditado


The Luis Posada Carriles case puts the Bush administration in an uncomfortable position, although it should not be too complicated to make the right decision. Posada Carriles escaped from a Venezuelan prison in 1985 while awaiting the appeals process after the court case went against him in the sabotage of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people. This makes him a fugitive from justice in a case of terrorism, and the existence of a treaty between Venezuela and the United States quite clearly means that the proper course of action is to extradite him.

Nevertheless, the ghosts of the Cold War threaten to play an important role in the decision. Posada Carriles is a Cuban exile, a fervent believer in using arms to topple Fidel Castro, and a man who ended up working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In Venezuela, during the decade of the 70s, he organized anti-Castro groups and was deemed responsible for the attack on the airliner.

President George W. Bush made the war against terrorism the central piece of his administration, and after the attacks of 9/11 it is very difficult to differentiate the terrorists from the so-called "freedom fighters" when there are civilian casualties. The United States government cannot protect Posada Carriles, despite his service, without being accused of employing a hypocritical double standard. And the world of espionage has never stood out for respecting loyalties over national interests.

Turning Posada Carriles over to Venezuela is the most reasonable option, regardless of the disdain with which Washington views the government of Hugo Chávez and despite doubts about Venezuela`s promise not to turn the fugitive over to Cuba. The Bush administration should respect the extradition treaty with Venezuela and show no ambivalence if it wants the world to respect the administration`s commitment to fight terrorism.
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La Opinion, Los Angeles

http://www.eldiariony.com/noticias/detail.aspx?section=25&desc=Editorial&id=1152914