Venezuelan ex-president Lusinchi called to appear in court over 1986 killings

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Venezuelan ex-president Lusinchi called to appear in court over 1986 killings

March 15, 2008 7:56 PM

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan prosecutors have summoned former President Jaime Lusinchi to appear in court next month to face accusations in the 1986 killings of nine people.

The attorney general's office said in a statement Friday that Lusinchi has been called to appear in court on April 1 ''for presumably being linked to the act.''

It said 13 other former officials from his government are also being summoned.

The killings in the western town of Yumare on May 8, 1986, were carried out by security forces. The interior minister at the time, Octavio Lepage, described it as a clash with guerrillas - remnants of leftist rebel bands that largely had put down their weapons by the early 1970s.

But critics have since said evidence suggests the victims were executed without a fight.



Read more: http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=WORLD&ID=565263364809687617

---

Wiki:{blockquote]Jaime Lusinchi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
57th President of Venezuela
In office
February 2, 1984 – February 2, 1989
Preceded by Luis Herrera Campins
Succeeded by Carlos Andrés Pérez
Born May 27, 1924 (1924-05-27) (age 83)
Clarines, Anzoátegui, Venezuela
Political party Acción Democrática
Spouse Gladys Castillo (div.)
Blanca Ibañez
Occupation Physician
Religion Roman Catholic
Signature

Jaime Lusinchi (b. 1924) is a Venezuelan politician who was the President of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by a economic crisis, growth of the External debt, populist policies, currency depreciation, inflation and corruption that exacerbated the crisis of the political system established in 1958.
(snip)

During this government, happen the massacres of Yumare, in Yaracuy, on May 8, 1986 by the DISIP (political police of Venezuela), executing nine members of the subversive group Punto Cero, and El Amparo, in Apure state, on October 29, 1988, being killed by the army 14 humble fishermen, being mistaken for guerrillas.
(snip)

After the end of his presidency, was appointed as Senator for life, as established at the 1961 constitution. Since March 27, 1990 Lusinchi was subject of a parliamentary inquiry, by a corruption scandal of big dimensions during his government. Accused for the use of influences at the currency exchange, through the financial Regime of Preferential Currency Change (RECADI), the management of funds of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, for the purchase of 65 jeeps used at the 1988 Campaign of Acción Democrática, the use of some funds of the National Institute of Hippodromes, and for being, in August, 1993, behind the campaign of mail bombs, sent by anonymous persons to the Supreme Court with the purpose of intimidating.

On November, 1991, the Venezuelan Congress issued against the former president a "political and moral condemnation," without criminal referrals, for the responsibility in economic management and administrative irregularities during his government. On August 10, 1993, while the public attention was dominated by the legal and political troubles of Carlos Andrés Pérez, the Supreme Court, after finding evidence of crime in the charges filed against Lusinchi, provided by the Attorney General's Office, starts the processing.

On August 13, is warned of the request to strip his senator immunity, and the judge's order prohibiting his leave of the country, Lusinchi not complying with the sentence, flew to Miami and then to Costa Rica, where meets with Blanca Ibañez, who in September, 1991, became his wife in a wedding held in New York City, after obtaining the divorce from Gladys Castillo. On July, 1994 and February, 1997, were declared prescribed by a court, the trials opened against the former president for the use of funds from the Foreign Ministry and the National Institute of Hippodromes, but on October, 1999 the Supreme Court reversed both decisions. However, although the process was reopened, the corruption charges expired.

In addition, on June, 2006, the former president, seven former officials of his government and 38 retired officials of the DISIP were accused at the 6th control court of Yaracuy, by relatives of the victims of the Yumare massacre. Jaime Lusinchi lives in self-imposed exile at the city of Miami.<[br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaime_Lusinchi

(Since Hugo Chavez didn't take office until February 2, 1999, you can see the problem Lusinchi has with Venezuela isn't a Chavez creation.)

[Joanne98]

1. Sounds like the shock doctrine.

Jaime Lusinchi (b. 1924) is a Venezuelan politician who was the President of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by a economic crisis, growth of the External debt, populist policies, currency depreciation, inflation and corruption that exacerbated the crisis of the political system established in 1958.
(snip)

[Peace Patriot]

2. As with transparent elections and other issues, Venezuela and the new South American Left

gives us hope--and a model--for restoring democracy and justice here. Some day we may be able to prosecute the mass murderers and torturers of the Bush junta, expel their Congressional colluders (of either party) from power, and, in our case, additionally pull the corporate charters and dismantle the corporate entities that have profiteered from death, torture, spying and looting of public funds.

It is no wonder that the fuckheads who have destroyed our country hate Hugo Chavez, who was actually elected, and who has run a lawful and beneficial government for ten years, and no wonder that they want to, violently or by stealth, overturn the will of the Venezuelan people, who have created a far, far better democracy than our own. And it is no wonder they keep adding to the list of hated South American leaders, whom they plot to overthrow--in Ecuador, in Bolivia, in Argentina--every one of them actually elected, every one of them true representatives of their people, with policies that really benefit their countries and their region. This Bushite/corporate hatred is not only greed for oil--it is fear of the EXAMPLE that these democracies give US, here in the north, if our people were to ever find out about it. Democracy IS possible. It CAN be created, even after decades of rightwing looting and brutal fascism. Look at South America--with a history of rightwing horror that rivals Nazi Germany! If THEY can create good government, through the will of the people, so can we!