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<h1 class="title">Head of Venezuela’s Barricades Arrested </h1>
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<p class="byline"> By <span class="author">Ryan Mallett-Outtrim</span>
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<p>Merida, 30<sup>th</sup> April 2014 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – A key
organiser of the Venezuelan opposition’s barricade groups, and a
suspect in the shooting of a prominent revolutionary figure have been
arrested in separate incidents, according to authorities.</p>
<p>President Nicolas Maduro stated that weapons had been seized during
the first arrest, and accused the unnamed organiser dubbed <em>El
Aviado</em>” (the Aviator) of “seeking an armed insurrection against
Venezuelan democracy”.</p>
<p>“48 hours ago we captured one of the brains of the barricader
insurrection ... [that aimed to] overthrow the government during the
months of February, March and April,” Maduro stated yesterday.</p>
<p>The president indicated that the organiser is cooperating with
authorities. “[<em>El Aviador] </em>is talking, and is saying
everything,” he stated.</p>
<p>“He was paying the snipers who killed National Guards (GNB)...and
wounded I don’t know how many hundreds of Venezuelans, “he said.</p>
<p>At least 41 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in
political violence since opposition barricades spread to around six of
Venezuela’s major cities in February.</p>
<p>“They wanted to create a civil war. But here, there was no civil
war, there was no coup nor will there be a coup,” Maduro stated.</p>
<p>In a separate announcement, interior minister Miguel Rodriguez
Torres stated that a different unidentified individual has been
arrested in connection to the shooting and death of the president of
the municipal council of Caracas’s Libertador municipality, Eliecer
Otaiza. The body of the prominent <em>Chavista</em> figure and former
intelligence chief <a href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10652">was
found riddled with bullets on Saturday on the outskirts of Caracas</a>.</p>
<p>According to Rodriguez, Otaiza was murdered under “very strange
circumstances” after his vehicle was stopped by an armed group.</p>
<p>“[The vehicle] was approached by several armed individuals, they
stopped the vehicle, beat him savagely and then abandoned it”.</p>
<p>Otaiza attempted to fight his assailants, but was shot four times,
according to Rodriguez. He also stated that police believe they may
have already identified the other assailants.</p>
<p>The minister stated Otaiza had been “executed”, but didn’t give any
indication of a possible motive. However, yesterday Maduro said that
opponents of the government could be behind the killing.</p>
<p>“Let's not forget the context of the last few months,” Maduro
stated. “There's no such thing as a casual coincidence,” he said.</p>
<p>A funeral service was held for Otaiza earlier today.</p>
<p><strong>More Arrests</strong></p>
<p>A further ten people have been charged in relation to opposition
protests over the weekend, a lawyer for the prison monitor <em>Foro
Penal</em> has stated, according to <a
href="http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/diez-de-los-detenidos-en-baruta-enviados-a-yare-ii.aspx#ixzz30NfNKlIM">Ultimas
Noticias</a>.</p>
<p>Members of the group face charges including incitement and
conspiracy, according to the head of the Foundation for Due Process,
Jackeline de Guevara. One individual also faces charges related to the
possession of explosives, according to Guevara.</p>
<p>The arrestees were among more than 20 people who were detained by
authorities in Caracas on Saturday, amid fresh clashes between security
forces and violent anti-government groups.</p>
<p>According to Rodriguez, clashes began when small groups attempted to
erect barricades in some parts of Caracas, after thousands of
opposition supporters marched peacefully through the city. Security
forces reportedly used tear gas to disperse the violent groups, which
fought back with molotov cocktails.</p>
<p>One group also attacked GNB troops. According to Rodriguez, some of
the detainees were captured after they tried to escape authorities
through private housing.</p>
<p>“They [anti-government groups] would climb into houses, invading the
privacy of people, their homes; but the same people in the
neighbourhood facilitated the capture of these terrorists,” he said.</p>
<p>The minister stated that some locals “grabbed these people and gave
them to the National Guard”.</p>
<p>Eight minors were among the detainees. Rodriguez accused opposition
groups of “manipulating” the juveniles into being “used as mules to go
unnoticed by the police”.</p>
<p>“In their backpacks, instead of carrying notebooks, they were
carrying petrol bombs, nails, improvised caltrops, and explosives used
by the terrorists,” Rodriguez stated.</p>
<p>“Parents must be alert, they should know that social networks are
calling children to commit violent acts,” he stated.</p>
<p>According to authorities, all minors detained on Saturday have since
been released. On Tuesday, Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz stated
that no minors are currently being held by Venezuelan authorities.</p>
<p>“There are teens who were arrested on suspicion of committing
crimes, and we are investigating these crimes, but the minors have been
released. No juvenile is being detained,” Ortega stated.</p>
<p>The attorney general also stated that her office has received 145
allegations of human rights abuses against security forces. The latest
response by the government to accusations of human rights violations
has been the arrest of new suspects in connection to the death of
student protester Geraldine Moreno.</p>
<p>Moreno was allegedly <a
href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10401">shot dead by GNB
personnel</a> in February. Three arrest warrants have been issued in
connection to the shooting, Ortega stated.</p>
<p>The attorney general pledged to ensure all potential cases of human
rights abuses are investigated, but warned protesters that the
government will continue to take action against violent groups.</p>
<p>“The state has had to act against [violent demonstrations] that
threaten stability, and are against life and peace,” Ortega stated.</p>
<p>Throughout the week security forces have continued to dismantle
barricades in hotspots nationwide, including in the capital and the
Andean states.</p>
<p>Authorities have begun large scale operations to remove barricades
in the east of Caracas, while the barricade hotbed of Merida city has
already been mostly cleared of barricades. Last week hundreds of
volunteers joined security forces in a <a
href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10643">citywide offensive</a>
to clear Merida’s main roads of fortified barricades. Today soldiers
continued to patrol some parts of the city, and the street cleaning
operation is still underway.</p>
<p>However, authorities in Tachira state have warned that
anti-government groups are continuing hit-and-run attacks, after nine
public buses were torched in the state on Tuesday, according to General
Vladimir Padrino. A vehicle belonging to the GNB was also torched in
Baruta, Caracas on Tuesday, according to government sources.</p>
<p>Rodriguez said that authorities will “continue working permanently”
to counter political violence.</p>
<p>“There is a small radical group, a minority, still trying to create
chaos [and] violence. But today, we tell Venezuelans ... that we have
absolutely defeated these groups,” he stated.</p>
<p>“The only option is to take the path of peace, coexistence,”
Rodriguez stated.</p>
<p>However, the wife of detained far right-wing figure Leopoldo Lopez
has issued new calls for protests. The opposition’s demonstrations have
waned in recent weeks, with smaller turnouts than in February. However,
Lilian Tintori stated that “political change is coming”.</p>
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