Lawyer and political prisoner Perkins Rocha warned that the recent reorganization of the courts with jurisdiction over terrorism crimes In Venezuela it does not imply the elimination of this judicial structure, but rather a redistribution of its functions that, in his opinion, keeps the mechanism of persecution against political dissidence in force.
Through a publication on his social network
“BEWARE: do not make the mistake of replicating the narrative promoted by the residual regime,” the lawyer wrote when warning about what he considers a misleading presentation of the changes in the judicial system.
As explained, the resolution transfers the control phase of criminal proceedings related to terrorism to ordinary courts of first instance in the 24 federal entities of the country. However, he indicated that the trial stage continues to be centralized in four national jurisdictional bodies based in Caracas, which already exercised those functions.
Rocha, who has been under house arrest since February, questioned the legality of this reorganization and stated that the specialized jurisdiction in terrorism crimes was initially created by an administrative resolution of the TSJ that he considers unconstitutional. In his opinion, this structure has been used to persecute opponents, activists and citizens who defended the electoral result of July 28, 2024 in favor of Edmundo González Urrutia.
Rocha denounces that judicial reform is just an institutional simulation
The lawyer attributed the modification to two purposes. The first, which he described as an “institutional simulation,” would consist of projecting an image of compliance with the instructions aimed at dismantling the repressive judicial apparatus, without eliminating the mechanisms that allow its operation. The second would be a strategy of “coercive pragmatism”, aimed at decentralizing the judicial structure and keeping open criminal cases in force.
In that sense, Rocha He warned that the organizational changes do not represent, in his opinion, a fundamental transformation, because the ongoing judicial processes would remain intact and the trial phase would continue under the jurisdiction of the national courts located in Caracas.
The lawyer insisted that the demand must be maintained until the courts specialized in terrorism and the judicial jurisdiction that, according to the complaint, allow people to be prosecuted and convicted for their political positions are definitively eliminated.
“Our struggle and citizen demand must not falter and must be the same: THE DEFINITIVE ELIMINATION OF THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL TERRORISM COURTS AS WELL AS THE JUDICIAL COMPETENCE TO PERSECUTE, APPRESENT AND CONDEMN THOSE WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY… There will be no free elections as long as there are political prisoners and Terrorism Courts…”, he concluded.
