Venezuela detains 6 in anti-Chavez student's death

[WhiteTara]

Source: yahoo ap

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela says six people, including three army intelligence officials and a police officer, have been detained in the killing of an opposition student leader.

Justice Minister Tarek Al Aissami says two civilians were detained along with the intelligence employees and officer, who had been suspended from Venezuela's scientific and investigative police for disciplinary reasons.

He said Thursday that the presumed murder weapon has been recovered, and that authorities are investigating two additional suspects.

University of Zulia student Julio Soto died Oct. 1 when his vehicle was sprayed with gunfire.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081017/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_student_killed_1

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[harmonicon]

1. this can't be true

People right here on DU told me, based on what they themselves dreamed to be true in some cough-medicine-induced stupor, that the Venezuelan government wouldn't investigate this or make arrests. Damn that Chavez, up to his dirty tricks again, investigating people just to prove the nuts contingent of DU wrong!! ooohhh, he's wily.

[Judi Lynn]

5. He'll stoop to anything, won't he? I might disagree with you on one point: I think it's spray paint

they're enjoying, probably the gold paint.



Winger South American news analyst.

[Peace Patriot]

2. I figured this might have something to do with Buswhack/Corpo-fascist double agents.

First reports were that the killing of Julio Soto had to do with a fascist corruption scam involving student bus passes; then about drug trafficking; now about "intelligence" agents. The plot thickens.

Soto was a leader of the student "brownshirt" movement, trained by the Bushwhack USAID to instigate riots and destabilization tactics. But killing such a high-profile fascist would not be helpful to the Chavistas, and is certainly not their M.O. It is the M.O. of the Colombian rightwing paramilitaries, and their allies in Venezuela (the ones who engineered the short-lived coup in 2002, for instance, in which they kidnapped Chavez and threatened his life, and suspended the Constitution, the courts, the National Assembly and all civil rights). They are a violent, greedy, anti-democratic force--and their allies in the Colombian government and military are heavily involved in drugs and weapons trafficking, and death squads (killing union leaders, human rights workers, political leftists, journalists, peasant farmers). So, what could prompt them to assassinate Soto (one of their own)? Did he betray them? Was he a double-agent and potential whistleblower? Was it a petty drug or corruption squabble, or something more? This is the first I've heard of "intelligence officials" being involved. It points to "something more."

The location of this murder--Zulia--also points to something more than a mere corruption whacking. Zulia is a hot bed of fascist activity, and contains Venezuela's chief oil reserves, in its coastal Caribbean area. It is THE most likely target of Bushwhack/Exxon Mobil scheming to gain control of Venezuela's oil. Zulia's oil is likely the reason that the Bushwhacks reconstituted the U.S. 4th Fleet, which is now roaming around off Venezuela's Zulia coast. In Bolivia, further south (and landlocked, with leftist neighbors Brazil and Argentina), the Bushwhacks have experimented with a fascist secessionist strategy, and have stoked a white separatist movement, to try to split off Bolivia's gas and oil rich provinces from the central government of leftist Evo Morales. It isn't working (although it's causing a whole lot of trouble) for several reasons: Brazil and Argentina fully back the Morales government, and won't trade with secessionist states. (They are Bolivia's chief gas customers.) The newly formed South American 'Common Market,' UNASUR, has strongly backed Morales. And there is no easy way for U.S. forces to get into Bolivia, to support the fascist secessionists, especially since neighboring Paraguay just elected a leftist president, who is allied with Morales. (Morales sent Paraguay's new president a message, when he was elected earlier this year: "Welcome to the Axis of Evil!")

Zulia is a whole different story. Its immediate neighbor is Colombia (Bush Cartel client state), and its oil reserves could be tanked from the Zulia coast, to the U.S., and could also be used to bully and blackmail leftist or leftist-leaning Caribbean/Central American countries (like Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala). With control of Venezuela's northern oil province, the U.S. could also cut off cheap oil to Cuba. There is no end to what a grand prize Zulia would be to the Corpo/fascists who are running things here.

Zulia's current governor was the fascist opposition candidate who ran against Chavez in 06. (Chavez beat him soundly, getting 63% of the vote.) During that campaign, he was obliged to publicly disavow the then latest assassination/toppling plot against the Chavez government, because it got exposed. But apparently his closeness with the assassins didn't lose him any credit with the rural landowners and other wealthy citizens who control things in Zulia, where he was afterward elected governor.

Finally, I believe Zulia is ground zero for the recently exposed plot to assassinate Chavez and overthrow his democratic government. Some military personnel were involved, as I recall from reports. And I'm wondering about these "intelligence employees and officer, who had been suspended from Venezuela's scientific and investigative police for disciplinary reasons." Are those suspected of killing Soto the same people, or part of the same cabal, who were plotting against Chavez?

We can be sure, I think, that the Bushwhacks have operatives in the Venezuelan military and intelligence services. It is probably less penetrated than Ecuador's services (where the new leftist president had to do a purge of U.S. operatives, recently--after the U.S./Colombia did that bombing/raid against Ecuador in March--and almost started a war between Colombia and Ecuador/Venezuela). But Venezuela's longer-lived vigilance does not mean that they are in the clear as to Bush-supported agents in their services--obviously (i.e., the very recent plot).

So the question arises: Was this just some scumbag petty corruption fight, that got Soto killed? Or something with tentacles back to the White House? (--not that the White House couldn't be involved in both--petty, or big, corruption, especially drug corruption, and trying to overthrow the government). Stay tuned.

[bitchkitty]

3. Good post.

I can't wait to see the propagandists jump on this. Some of their shit is pretty entertaining, in a bad Lifetime movie kind of way! ;)

[Judi Lynn]

4. Google translation of a Venezuelan article published today:

Prosecution said that six were involved in crime student Julio Soto


Six people suspected of involvement in the murder of the student Julio Soto, of which four belong to different security forces, surrendered to authorities, said today the Attorney General of Venezuela.

The website of the Prosecutor's Office said that among those detained were two civilians, a judicial police officer and three members of the Army's Intelligence Directorate (DIE).

Soto was gunned down on Oct. 1 in the city of Maracaibo (West) by two hitmen, in an action that, according to the police, appears linked to the mafias that traffic in the student tickets and transportation to move millions in monthly amounts of money.

Initially the case was connected with political motives, as Soto, 31, was the president of the Federation Campus of the University of Zulia and an active opposition.

As alleged perpetrators are unionized and Yixon Evelio Mendez Mendez and as the police involved Nail Alvarez and members of the DIE Lendi Larsen, Niens Ronald Larsen and Creole.

The attorney general, Luisa Ortega, said that while those involved surrendered voluntarily, this was because "the work carried out by prosecutors and the security forces.

Interior Minister Tarek The Aissami, said on Thursday that seized the gun allegedly used to break Soto.

~~~~~~~~
From:
Caracas, Octubre 17 de 2008
Fiscalía señala que se entregaron seis implicados en crimen de estudiante Julio Soto

Seis personas presuntamente implicadas en el crimen del estudiante Julio Soto, de las que cuatro pertenecen a diferentes cuerpos de seguridad, se entregaron a las autoridades, indicó hoy la Fiscalía General de Venezuela.

La página web de la Fiscalía señala que entre los detenidos están dos civiles, un agente de la policía judicial y tres miembros de la Dirección de Inteligencia del Ejército (DIE).

Soto fue acribillado el 1 de octubre en la ciudad de Maracaibo (oeste) por dos sicarios, en una acción que, según la policía, aparece vinculada a las mafias que trafican con los boletos estudiantiles de transporte y que mueven mensualmente cantidades millonarias de dinero.

Inicialmente se había relacionado el caso con móviles políticos, ya que Soto, de 31 años, era el presidente de la Federación de Centros Universitarios de la Universidad del Zulia y militaba en la oposición.

Como presuntos autores materiales están sindicados Evelio Méndez y Yixon Méndez y como implicados el policía Nail Álvarez y los miembros de la DIE Lendi Larsen, Niens Larsen y Ronald Criollo.

La fiscal general, Luisa Ortega, señaló que si bien los implicados se entregaron voluntariamente, esto se debió "al trabajo desplegado por los fiscales" y los cuerpos de seguridad.

El ministro del Interior, Tarek El Aissami, señaló el jueves que se incautó el arma de fuego presuntamente utilizada para acabar con Soto.

http://www.2001.com.ve/noticias_2001online.asp?registro=98902

[Judi Lynn]

6. Investigations Reveal Illicit Business of Murdered Venezuelan Student Leader

(This information has been posted, in various articles from translated versions of Venezuelan newspapers, in the original thread posted by Bacchus39.)

Investigations Reveal Illicit Business of Murdered Venezuelan Student Leader
October 7th 2008, by James Suggett - Venezuelanalysis.com

Mérida, October 6, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- Investigators of the murder of Julio Soto, the student government president at the University of Zulia, have uncovered evidence linking the crime to Soto's illicit selling of government-subsidized student bus tickets and his affiliations with competing political parties within the Venezuelan opposition.

The director of the national Criminal, Penal, and Scientific Investigations Corps (CICPC), Marcos Chavez, said raids conducted since Soto was shot to death by four unidentified assassins last Wednesday have revealed that "Soto, apart from being the president of the {student government}, administered or managed student transportation tickets. We are not discarding any hypothesis."

However, Chavez said, "It is important not to make a priori declarations," because the case has not been solved.

According to CICPC investigators, the call history and number directory in Soto's cell phone reveal that Soto had contacts with members of the Zulia state police who are also involved in the illicit production and sale of government-subsidized student transportation tickets.

In addition, Soto had three million bolivars ($1.4 million) in his bank account at the time of his death, and had received a deposit of 200,000 bolivars ($93,000) in the weeks before his death, CICPC investigators said.

Moreover, on his personal blog, Soto had written that he received death threats a week before his murder, a fact confirmed by his fellow student leaders.

The blog also showed Soto's ties to two opposition parties, COPEI and Un Nuevo Tiempo, which have been in conflict over party candidates and political agendas for the upcoming regional and local elections.

It is suspected that Soto was killed by a hired assassin involved in the mafia that regulates illicit business activity within the university. Interior and Justice Minister Tarek El-Aissami announced Monday that three suspects had been identified.

More:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/3857

[Peace Patriot]

7. $1.4 million bucks in his bank account. Jeez. I hope they can trace that money.

This article mentions "a hired assassin involved in the mafia" but the later article mentions "two hit men," and a total of "six people suspected of involvement in the murder of the student Julio Soto, of which four belong to different security forces...". It appears that someone--or someones--really, REALLY wanted him dead. A hired assassin. Maybe two hit men. And four members of security forces involved.

You gotta wonder what would mobilize such a force to carry out this murder. Soto posed a threat to SOMEBODY or SOMETHING. With all that money coming his way (this guy's a STUDENT? how many students have that much money in the bank?!), you gotta figure something mega-dirty, but how would he be a threat? He was obviously a player of some kind, in some very lucrative game. But his politics also point rather strongly at intelligence activities, and who would be paying a corrupt rightwing student to front for the fascist scheming in Zulia and Venezuela? That's what these rightwing student groups are--a front for the cabal that engineered the 2002 coup and other efforts to topple the Chavez government--to give them a cleaner image (har, har), because they have been so discredited by their many plots, riots, lies and ill intentions. As I understand it, that was the gist of the USAID 'training'--to push the "students" out in front, to cover for their elders, who want a fascist state, and who are supported by the Bushwhacks who want control of the oil. And who would have that much money to throw at the fascist cause--at one operative of the fascist cause?

I'm thinking the Bush-purged CIA, and/or private operatives like Exxon Mobil (a corp that really, REALLY hates Chavez). But why did they kill him? And that makes me think "double agent." Maybe he was ratting on them. It still could be just plain old corruption--with the military people also involved in the corruption (not in plotting to overthrow the government). But it sure smells of something deeper.

That CIA-type caper out of Miami--the $700,000+ in the suitcase--comes to mind. Who has cash like that to throw at any hair-brained anti-Chavez scheme? The drug-funded CIA, the Bushwhacks (our tax dollars, which they throw around by the billions), the Bush Cartel, and Exxon Mobil (biggest earnings of any corporation, ever, in the last year).

[Judi Lynn]

8. New information from a Spanish newspaper on this 31 yr. old student:

(This is a google translation of the article which is written in Spanish.)

The Venezuelan Attorney announced the surrender six of the suspected killers of Julio Soto, a student leader assassinated on October 1 in Maracaibo. Speaking at a program in the state Venezolana de Television, the Public Prosecutor, Luisa Ortega, considered the case "almost resolved", but pointed out that by arresting two others missing involved.

Neither she nor the interior minister, Tarek The Aissami, explained why three of the suspected murderers of Soto, aged 32 and the militant opposition Christian Democratic party Copei, belong to the Army's Intelligence Directorate, and was fourth official at the Judicial Police. The minister indicated that they were arrested and that no surrender, and that the policeman was suspended for other irregularities.

The news of the arrest coincided with a general strike for 24 hours in the universities, on Thursday. There were no demonstrations by students demanding justice guilds, nor were those from the crime de Soto, as the authorities feared that during the days following the murder militarized all accesses to the houses of study.

Implicated in massive fraud

Soto was killed in firing by more than 20 subjects who intercepted him in broad daylight. Only one of his five companions was shot in the leg. The professionalism of the murderers reinforces the hypothesis of hit men who handle the authorities. Though the murder seemed to have a political hue, the monthly movements in their bank accounts, 130,000 euros, were much higher than its economic potential. Now, at Soto was linked to the Tour, a massive rip-off until 2006 with the mechanism pyramid, for which there are five people on trial, and more than 20 escaped, and suggests that behind this scam acted leader of the murderers.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/mundo/2008/10/18/0003_7234820.htm

[bitchkitty]

9. Well, gosh.

This thread is so quiet for a Venezuela thread. I wonder why that is?

[Judi Lynn]

10. From a newspaper in Madrid, google translation, which is very imperfect:

Juan Esplandiu 13 - 28007 Madrid

Three spies are involved in the murder of student leader opposed to Chavez

The Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Interior of Venezuela have confirmed the arrest of three members of the intelligence services of the Army and a member of the Scientific Police for his responsibility in the murder of Julio Soto, the dissident student leader to President Hugo Chávez, Julio Soto. Two other people have also been arrested. The prosecutor Luisa Ortega has virtually closed the case, but did not explain, like the owner of Interior, Tarek El-Aissami, the degree of involvement in the murder of four members of the security services of the state.

LD (Agencies) The Minister of Interior of the regime of Venezuela, Tarek El-Aissami, has reported that three members of the intelligence services of the Army and another official of the Scientific Police detained along with two other people whose names have not been made public, for their responsibility in the murder of Julio Soto, leader of the Federation of Campus of the University of Zulia, the student movement opposed to President Hugo Chávez.

The first of October, Soto was gunned down in the city of Maracaibo by two hired assassins who intercepted the student leader when traveling with his car through the streets of the capital of Zulia State. According to police, the student would be involved with the mafias that traffic in bonds for student transportation and move to a monthly sum of money worth millions in cash.

The Venezuelan Attorney General, Luisa Ortega, said that the detainees were not delivered but were arrested thanks to the work of investigating officers. In fact, he considered the case "almost closed". From the outset, the government dismissed the political motive.

However, political analysts contrary to the regime "chavistas" have stressed that neither he nor Ortega Aissami have explained the reasons why the three members of the military intelligence and a member of the Scientific Police are involved in the murder of the youth 31 years.

The news of the arrest of the suspects has coincided with a general strike of twenty-four hours in universities around the country. Following the murder of Soto, the university groups who oppose the regime of Chavez is not called for demonstrations demanding justice despite the fact that soldiers and policemen were bet on all entrances to the University of Zulia.

According to police, bank accounts Soto deposits were found by three million bolivars (one million 395 thousand dollars). They explained that the monthly student leader movements performed by 130,000 euros. Finally, the authorities linked him with a massive fraud related to a pyramid. In this case there are five people arrested and more than twenty in search and seizure.

http://www.libertaddigital.com//mundo/tres-espias-involucrados-en-el-asesinato-del-lider-estudiantil-opuesto-a-chavez-1276341259/

[bitchkitty]

11. An ages-old drama, really -

Sounds like a crook who fell afoul of his fellow crooks, who killed him and were then arrested and charged in his murder.