Venezuelan Court Condemns 17 for Attack on President in 2018

A Venezuelan court on Thursday sentenced 17 people to prison terms for their participation in the assassination attempt against President Nicolás Maduro, which occurred on August 4, 2018, on Bolívar Avenue in Caracas, when the head of state was participating in an activity for the anniversary of the Bolivarian National Guard.

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The First Court of First Instance in trial functions with exclusive competence at the national level to hear cases related to crimes associated with terrorism and organized crime, announced that 12 of the accused received sentences of 30 years in prison, while five others received sentences of 24, 20, 16, eight and five years in prison.

The Venezuelan Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, during a press conference on the previous date, recalled  that "two explosive devices incorporated to two unmanned aircraft were activated, which were intended to assassinate the President of the Republic while he was giving his speech for the 81st anniversary of the Bolivarian National Guard; such detonation caused injuries to several military officers."

According to Article 349 of the Organic Code of Criminal Procedure, Juan Carlos Monasterios Vanegas, Argenis Gabriel Valera Ruiz, José Miguel Estrada González, Oswaldo Gabriel Castillo Lunar and Alberto José Bracho Rozquez were sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The court against terrorism sentenced a group of citizens to prison for intentional homicide qualified in the degree of frustration against the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros.

This penalty was also imposed on Brayan de Jesús Oropeza Ruiz, Henriberth Enmanuel Rivas Vivas, Yolmer José Escalona Torrealba, Emirlendris Carolina Benítez Rosales, Yanin Fabiana Pernia Coronel, Alejandro Pérez Gámez and Pedro Javier Zambrano Hernández.

Other citizens were Juan Carlos Requesens Martínez (eight years), Ángela Lisbeth Expósito Carrillo (24), Héctor Armando Hernández da Costa (16), José Eloy Rivas Díaz (20) and Wilder Anderson Vásquez Velásquez (five).

Saab explained that those sentenced to 30 years in prison were charged with the crimes of "treason to the homeland and intentional homicide in the degree of frustration in the person of the President of the Republic," as well as intentional homicide executed with malice aforethought and for futile motives in the degree of frustration, and throwing an explosive device in public meetings, he said.

In the case of the others involved, they were convicted of terrorism, financing terrorism, conspiracy, concealment of the crime of terrorism, and association.

The court also ordered the confiscation of the assets seized in the investigation process.