Former Mayor Keyrineth Fernández Detained for Drug Trafficking in Caracas
A Caracas court ordered the detention of the former mayor of Jesús María Semprún, Keyrineth Fernández, for drug trafficking. Six other detainees were apprehended alongside her.
Caracas Court Orders Detention of Zulia Former Mayor for Drug Trafficking
The Tenth Court Acting as Control of the Criminal Judicial Circuit of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas ordered the detention of Keyrineth Selenia Fernández Epieyu, former mayor of Jesús María Semprún municipality in Zulia state, for illicit trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances, as well as for the offence of association to commit crimes. The measure was adopted under articles 149 and 163 of the Organic Law on Drugs and article 37 of the Law Against Organised Crime and Financing of Terrorism.
According to diariovea.com.ve, the decision was communicated on Tuesday, 1 February at approximately 11:30 pm by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). The highest court specified that six other men were also ordered detained. All of them were accompanying Fernández when they were travelling from Zulia state to Caracas in vans. They were apprehended in flagrante delicto with six rectangular brick-shaped packages of alleged drugs, weighing more than seven kilogrammes.
Operation "Iron Hand"
The capture of Keyrineth Fernández took place within the framework of the anti-drug operation called "Mano de Hierro". The National Anti-Drug Superintendence had reported her detention on 27 January.
According to the TSJ press release, the citizens ordered detained alongside her are Kender José Villalobos Epieyu, Yoender Javier Villarreal Montero, Samuel Antonio Alvarado Rico, Kevin Epieyu Machado and Pedro José Moyano Blanco. They were ordered detained for "co-authorship in the trafficking of narcotic and psychotropic substances in the form of concealment and transportation", according to the official statement.
Gregorio Francisco Amaris Meléndez was also ordered detained for the alleged commission of the offence of illicit trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances. Additionally, both Amaris Meléndez and Kender José Villalobos Epieyu face charges for illicit possession of a firearm, in accordance with article 112 of the Law for Disarmament and Control of Arms and Ammunition.
Connection to Drug Seizure in La Guaira in 2021
On Monday, 31 January, Diosdado Cabello, first vice-president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), stated that Fernández would be related to a drug seizure carried out by Venezuelan authorities in November 2021 in La Guaira state.
"Everything indicates that in the case of Zulia-Falcón states, a large drug-trafficking network has direct connections with what occurred with the seizure of a quantity of drugs in La Guaira state at the end of last year," Cabello disclosed.
The official indicated that one of the modus operandi of the mayor and the deputies allegedly involved was "to pass through checkpoints, identify themselves, and in vulgar terms, to bribe" in order to transport the drugs without being intercepted.
In November of the previous year, substitute opposition deputy of the National Assembly, Luis Alfonso Viloria Chirinos, had been arrested in an operation in La Guaira with nearly 400 kilogrammes of cocaine, according to what was reported at the time by the data journalism outlet La Tabla.
Broader Network of Detainees
On 27 January, the National Anti-Drug Superintendence had announced the detention of Fernández along with other individuals involved: National Assembly deputies Taína González, from Zulia state, and Luis Viloria Chirinos; as well as Jeikar Pérez, Robert Montaña Viloria, and Colombian national Víctor Cano Páez. Authorities indicated that the network operated in Falcón and Zulia states.
Source: Google News VE — Caracas