Relatives of soldiers detained for political reasons gathered this Thursday in the vicinity of the National Center for Military Prosecutions (Cenapromil) in Green BouquetMiranda state, to support the hunger strike carried out by 37 inmates demanding full freedom.
The protesters denounced worsening prison conditions and demanded that the detainees be included in the release processes announced regarding the dialogue between representatives of the interim government and a sector of the opposition.
The protest was led by Sandra Hernández, wife of Third Sergeant Major Luis Bandres and spokesperson for the relatives, who indicated that the fast began on Monday at 6:00 in the morning with 21 sergeants of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) prosecuted by the Quote case.
Then another 15 political prisoners joined – among them 2 women linked to the Governor of Monagas case and the causes Paramacayoperations Gedeón and Aurora, Sukhoi and El Palito Refinery–, in addition to a soldier detained for common crimes who protests against the procedural delay.
Hernández denounced that by order of the director of the penitentiary centerGeneral Luis Ojeda, the strikers remain isolated outdoors on the prison’s sports field, without access to bathrooms, personal hygiene items, drinking water or medical assistance, being forced to spend the night under improvised tents and cover themselves only with sheets against the low temperatures of Los Teques.
“They are taking the water that they can collect from the rain or the water that is stagnant, which is used to water the plants. This man is a clear violator of human rights; by specific order of General Ojeda, our relatives are in danger, and I say this with full responsibility and everything that this may happen against me,” warned Sandra Hernández when holding the prison authorities responsible for the physical integrity of the detainees.
The spokesperson questioned the lack of action by the courts and rejected the accusations of government leaders such as Jorge Arreazawho accused the military of victimizing themselves, and deputy Pedro Infante regarding the legislative efforts to review the files.
“They have the power to go out, give an order and say: ‘Release all political prisoners’, and they are going to comply immediately, because this is a political decision. They are not victimizing themselves; you are a torturer,” said the representative of the relatives when demanding speed in the release tickets.
Hernández asked the delegation of two MEPs that arrived in the country on Wednesday to visit the Ramo Verde facilities to verify the state of health of the strikers, and criticized the president of the 2015 National Assembly, Dinorah Figuerafor going to the residence of lawyer Perkins Rocha without declaring about the situation of the detained soldiers.
“Here no one is more important than anyone else. We demand that you speak out in favor of our relatives,” he claimed.
“Close the torture centers!”: the cry from inside the prison
Meters away from where the protesters remained, the soldiers on hunger strike approached the fence of the sports field to accompany the external protest and hang banners with the slogan “Freedom for political prisoners.”
In the midst of the loud exchange with their loved ones, the detainees repeatedly chanted the demand to close the facilities reported for cruel treatment.
“Close the torture centers!” shouted the detained soldiers from inside Ramo Verde, documented Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners (Clippve).
Support from human rights organizations
Clippve supported the rally and recalled that the hunger strike constitutes a legitimate mechanism of peaceful protest against the violation of fundamental guarantees and procedural delays.
“From the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners we insist that the hunger strike is a form of legitimate peaceful protest that seeks to generate actions for change,” said the organization, which demanded timely medical attention and the protection of the lives of the 37 fasting soldiers.
