Communication to the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights related to General (R) Rivero´s Case

We are writing to you in our position of human rights activists and Venezuelan lawyers with the purpose of reporting that the Venezuelan government could be incurring in violations of the Interamerican Convention on Human Rights, in detriment of Mr. Antonio Rivero, who is a retired General  of the Venezuelan Army and national leader of an opposition party.

It is a public, notorious and communicational fact that on April 27, 2013, General (R) Rivero was invited  by General Rodríguez Torres, who is Minister of Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace (Ministro del Poder Popular para el Interior, Justicia y Paz) to  a meeting at  the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), there Mr. Antonio Rivero was arrested arbitrarily and illegally by policemen of that body of intelligence. This could be in violation of Articles 1°, 7° and 8° of the Interamerican Convention on Human Rights.

Subsequently, on 29 April, General (R) Antonio Rivero was charged for the following alleged crimes: incitement to commit crime and conspiracy, both crimes typified in the Venezuelan Criminal Code and the Crime Organized and Financing Terrorist Law. Notably, the General (R) Rivero has been persecuted since he began his political activism after denouncing Cuban presence in the Venezuelan armed forces.This denouncement was repeated during the month of February of this year.

According to statements pronounced by the Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, one of the main proofs of General Rivero´s alleged crimes is a video, which was recorded when he talked to young people while they were exercising their right to peaceful protest.

Respectfully, we consider it important to encourage  this honorable  Commission to request information from  the Venezuelan government about the facts described above, especially, the alleged violations of Articles 1°, 7° and 8°of the Interamerican Convention on Human Rights in detriment of General (R) Antonio Rivero.


We take this opportunity to express the assurances of our highest regard and respect

Juancarlos Vargas                                                                            Zulmaire González