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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Elections & Politics

Venezuelan opposition slams 'express trial' for ex-mayor Ramírez

From El Nacional · (2d ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Tomás Guanipa criticized the swift trial of former Maracaibo mayor Rafael Ramírez, who was granted conditional release.
  • Guanipa stated that SEBIN officials admitted to following orders and not understanding the judges' questions during the trial.
  • Despite the criticism of the judicial process, Guanipa celebrated Ramírez's release, attributing his detention to his efficiency and honesty.

From the perspective of El Nacional (VE):

no sabían ni a qué se referían las preguntas de los jueces

— Tomás GuanipaVenezuelan opposition lawmaker Tomás Guanipa stated that SEBIN officials admitted to not understanding the judges' questions during the trial of former Maracaibo mayor Rafael Ramírez.

The Venezuelan opposition is once again denouncing the blatant manipulation of the justice system for political purposes. The case of former Maracaibo mayor Rafael Ramírez, who was granted conditional release after a so-called "express trial," is a clear example of how the ruling party, the PSUV, dictates judicial outcomes.

Además, abiertamente reconocieron que lo que hacían era cumplir órdenes

— Tomás GuanipaTomás Guanipa added that SEBIN officials openly admitted they were merely following orders.

Lawmaker Tomás Guanipa highlighted the absurdity of the situation, where even state security agents (SEBIN) admitted to not understanding the questions posed by judges, essentially confessing they were merely following orders. This underscores the lack of due process and the politicization of justice in Venezuela.

No hay sentencia… y ya sabemos que esas sentencias ni siquiera se redactan en juzgados, se redactan en las oficinas del PSUV

— Tomás GuanipaGuanipa criticized the lack of a published sentence, suggesting it would be drafted by the ruling PSUV party instead of the courts.

While Ramírez's release is a small victory, the underlying issues of judicial independence and the persecution of political opponents remain. The fact that sentences are allegedly drafted in PSUV offices, not in courts, speaks volumes about the state of the rule of law. This is not justice; it is a political performance designed to appease or punish at the whim of the government.

A Rafael le cobraron la eficiencia, le cobraron ser honesto

— Tomás GuanipaGuanipa celebrated Ramírez's release, stating he was being punished for his efficiency and honesty.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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