Maduro cracks down on Venezuelan opposition lawmakers

Opposition lawmaker Juan Requesens faces terrorism charges

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela’s pro-government constitutional assembly stripped two opposition lawmakers of their immunity from prosecution on Wednesday, accusing them of having roles in a drone attack that authorities say was an attempt to kill socialist President Nicolas Maduro. 

The National Constituent Assembly voted unanimously to lift the protection for Julio Borges and Juan Requesens, who have seats in the opposition-controlled legislature. The move came after the Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Borges, who lives in in exile in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. Requesens was arrested on Tuesday.

Maduro has accused the two of being tied to a weekend incident in which two drones loaded with explosives exploded while he spoke at an outdoor military celebration.

 

 

Wednesday’s developments threaten to deepen Venezuela’s political crisis as opposition lawmakers accuse the government’s ruling party of using the alleged attack to clamp down on the opposition.

Constituent Assembly leader Diosdado Cabello said Borges and Requesens were just the first lawmakers to be accused in the investigation of the incident. 

"These are the first two who appear to be involved, but the investigation continues," Cabello said. "Justice is coming."

 

 

Video circulating Tuesday on social media showed Venezuela’s political police arresting Requesens, a 29-year-old deputy in the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Supporters say he was kidnapped from his apartment.

 

 

In ordering the 48-year-old Borges’ arrest, the supreme court accused him of “flagrant crimes,” including public incitement, treason to the fatherland and attempted homicide.

 

 

During a national television broadcast on Tuesday, Maduro accused Requesens and Borges of complicity in the weekend drone explosions that he contends were an attempt on his life.

Maduro said statements from some of the six suspects arrested earlier had implicated the two lawmakers, as well as key financiers.

"Several of the declarations indicated Julio Borges. The investigations point to him," Maduro said, though he provided no details of Borges’ alleged role.

Earlier Wednesday, Borges, who has rejected the accusation, met with top lawmakers in Colombia, which has blamed Maduro’s government for causing the crisis that has led to masses of Venezuelans fleeing across the border into the neighboring country.

“We want to see you out of power, imprisoned for the violation of human rights, imprisoned for the destruction of democracy,” Borges said. “The only promoter of violence is a man named Nicolas Maduro.”

Antonio Ledezma, an opposition leader and exiled mayor of Caracas who now lives in Spain, stood alongside Borges in Bogota.

"Neither the deputy Borges, nor the deputy Requesens — no Venezuelan parliamentarians are involved in this type of scheme cooked up by the regime," Ledezma said. "This is another parody of Maduro."

 

 

The six suspects arrested earlier face charges of treason, attempted murder and terrorism. Investigators have linked a total of 19 people to the attack, Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said Wednesday.

Critics of Maduro’s socialist government said immediately after the drone explosions that they feared the unpopular leader would use the incident as an excuse to round up opponents as he seeks to dampen spreading discontent over Venezuela’s devastating economic collapse.

The events come as Venezuela’s economy continues to hemorrhage and thousands flee to neighboring nations seeking food and medical care. Maduro has grown increasingly isolated, with the United States and other foreign powers slapping economic sanctions on a growing list of high-ranking Venezuelan officials and criticizing his government of being an autocratic regime.

The International Monetary Fund projects inflation could top 1 million percent by year’s end.

During Maduro’s two-hour speech, videos were displayed showing alleged suspects and images of the drones exploding. One video included a purported confession by a handcuffed suspect, whose face was blurred out.

The president also displayed wanted posters with names and pictures of other suspects who he said are living in the United States and Colombia.

Maduro said he would provide evidence to authorities in both countries and ask for their cooperation in handing over suspects who helped orchestrate and finance the attack.

"I want to explain to the government of the United States and the government of Colombia in detail all the evidence," Maduro said. "I trust in the good faith of Donald Trump."

Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, and Attorney General Tarek William Saab met Wednesday with James Story, the top U.S. diplomat in Caracas.

 

 

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on what was discussed or whether Venezuela had made any extradition request.

___

Associated Press writers Cesar Garcia in Bogota, Colombia, Fabiola Sanchez in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report.

View this post on Instagram

@juanrequesens AFTER YOUR BRAVE DISCOURSE AT THE @asambleavenezuela BE VALUED WITH THE BALLS WHAT DOES NOT HAVE NADIEEEEE IN THIS #DICTADURA. HE WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HIS HOUSE YESTERDAY TO PUSHES. ACCUSING IT TO FLY A DRONES..HAJAJAJAJAJAJA😂😂. THE REGIME BELIEVES WHAT THE VENEZUELANS WE ARE PENDEJOS NOOOOO. THOSE DRONES IS A SETTING OF THE REGIME🚁. HE WAS ONLY DEFENDING HIS VALENTINE PARTNER THE PHYSICIAN AND DEPUTY JOSÉ MANUEL OLIVARES (@joseolivaresm) WHAT TO TAKE OUT OF HIS EMERGENCY FAMILY FROM #VENEZUELA. THEY WANTED TO STOP THEIR NEWLY PARTICIPATED WIFE. MISERABLE SCORDS. THE IMPOTENCE WHAT HAS #JUANREQUESENS. WE HAVE THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE🇻🇪. ALL VENEZUELANS WHAT WE ARE NOT ENCHUFAOS. WE ARE ARRESTED TO SEE HOW YOU CAN STOP A MEMBER WHAT HAS PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY. EXPLAIN THAT SR # NICOLÁSMADURO IN THIS COUNTRY THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. AND WHERE THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF DEPUTY JOHN ARE WHAT HAS PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY. BUT GOD TAKES BUT NEVER FORGET. AND ALL THE DAMAGE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE WILL PAY HIM AMEN AM THE TIME OF GOD IS PERFECT. WE WILL DEFEND THE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY OF OUR COUNTRY VENEZUELA 🙏🏻🇻🇪🙏🏻🇻🇪🙏🏻. PLEASE SPREAD IT NOW. 👉🏼👉🏼 @leopoldolopezoficial @hcapriles @liliantintori @antonioledezmave @mariacorinamachado @caraotadigital @carlaangola @caminacarlos @yusnaby @sergionovelli @jaimebayly @luisalmagroficial @onuoficial @oea_oficial @luischataing @davidsmolansky @nacho @fdelrincon @ivanduquemarquez @evtvmiami @realdonaldtrump @rrequesens @marcorubiofla @ramonmuchacho @ipaniza @venezolanosennewyork @alimentospolar @venezolanosenespanaoficial @lorenzomendoza_vzla @vp_miami @cnnee @vpitv #Caracas #Colombia #Spain #Eeuu #Mexico #peru #chile #argentina #France #Algeria #Ecuador #Australia #Democraciaya #sosvenezuela #Brazil #españa #Venezuelalibre #paissecuestradopormaduro #maduroveteya #dictaduravenezuela

A post shared by @ eltigremaracucho on

View this post on Instagram

#libertad #juanrequesens #pjmiranda #aibel2018

A post shared by Aibel (@aibel14) on


About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.