Seven convicted for alleged kidnapping attempt against Diosdado Cabello

A Venezuelan court has sentenced seven people to prison terms ranging from 8 to 26 years for their alleged involvement in a plot to kidnap Diosdado Cabello, the current Minister of Interior. The trial, which spanned over six years, concluded with the convictions on Tuesday.

According to the prosecution's case, the group intended to kidnap Cabello and deliver him to the United States to collect a reward offered by the Department of Justice. The individuals were arrested between March and April 2020 in Maturín and El Furrial, located in Monagas state, Cabello's home region.

“

The history and the law do not forget those who turned courts into political punishment chambers. All our strength to the families who resist this abuse.

Nine people were initially implicated in the case. During the proceedings, Gabriel Medina Díaz died in prison on August 29, 2021, due to complications from tuberculosis, with Foro Penal, a human rights organization, claiming he did not receive adequate medical attention. Luis Villarroel was acquitted, having reportedly received a message on his phone about the alleged kidnapping plan.

Foro Penal has characterized the case as politically motivated, noting that Medina Díaz had previously served as a National Police officer and was part of the Special Actions Forces (FAES) before his arrest. Juan Pablo García, a regional coordinator for Vente Venezuela, denounced the "incalculable" moral, psychological, and physical damage inflicted upon the detainees and their families, calling the judicial system's actions a "political punishment."

“

Imposing 26 years in prison while knowing the innocence of the accused is one of the greatest baseness of a 'judicial system'. They convict seven men for an alleged plan to attack Diosdado Cabello in Monagas (El Furrial Case). Enough of so much abuse!