Three former Venezuelan police officers released after 23 years of political imprisonment in Venezuela
Erasmo Bolívar, Héctor Rovaín and Luis Molina were released from jail in Lara on Tuesday night, benefiting from a humanitarian measure. NGOs warn that more than 500 political prisoners remain in Venezuela.
Former PM officials released after more than two decades as prisoners of Chavism
Three former officials of the now dissolved Metropolitan Police of Caracas were released from prison on Tuesday night after 23 years in detention, according to confirmation from the NGO Foro Penal. Diariolasamericas.com reports that Erasmo Bolívar, Héctor Rovaín and Luis Molina were freed from the penitentiary facility located in Lara state, considered among Venezuela's oldest political prisoners.
The three had been detained on 19 April 2003 and sentenced in April 2009 to 30 years imprisonment for attempted qualified homicide in complicity, in relation to violent events recorded on 11 April 2002 during protests linked to the failed coup d'état against Hugo Chávez. Their detention was questioned from the outset: images from the time showed PM officers protecting citizens during the protests.
The court granted them "conditional freedom through humanitarian measure", according to a statement made by Luis Molina outside the prison. "They should never have been behind bars", affirmed Foro Penal on social network X that same night.
Erasmo Bolívar gave thanks to God for keeping them "firm and strong all this time", as well as to "all those people who have been paying attention" to them. "It has not been easy, this has truly been a stations of the cross", he expressed, and anticipated finding a Venezuela "totally different" from that of 2003, although he was confident in adapting "little by little to the new society".
The release occurred hours after the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced that the three would be part of a group of 300 political prisoners benefiting from amnesty during that week, out of a total of 400 reported. Rodríguez clarified that some of those released had been "involved in proven acts and crimes" but would be included for being under 18 years of age, over 70 years of age or suffering from some medical condition.
The vice-president of Foro Penal, Gonzalo Himiob, called for caution. "Every step towards freedom is a good step, but let us manage expectations with prudence. That no one be left out is the watchword", he stated. The organisation advocated for freedoms without restrictions.
Other NGOs questioned the true scope of the measure. "The number of political prisoners stands at 500 people. Our demand for freedom will not cease until all are free", stated Realidad Helicoide. For its part, Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón denounced that the announced release "does not even reach half of those who today remain imprisoned for ideological reasons". The organisation clarified that it has a record of 654 people deprived of liberty for political reasons in Venezuela and rejected that the measure be presented as "a gesture of national reconciliation", characterising it as "an affront to the victims and their families".
Lawyer Yajaira Forero, spouse and defender of former commissioner Orlando Forero—also convicted in the same case—indicated that her client obtained humanitarian measure after serving eight years in prison. Forero, together with former commissioner Henry Vivas, currently has house arrest due to suffering from cancer, although it was not yet confirmed whether they would be included in the amnesty for being over 70 years of age or suffering from a medical condition. Forero said she hoped to appear before the court on Wednesday to learn the scope of the measure.
The lawyer also demanded full freedom for all those involved. "The three former officials should have been free since 2010 through alternative sentencing measures, which would have also corresponded to them in 2023 and 2025, but they were denied", she stated, and characterised the process as "a rigged trial and riddled with irregularities".
Relatives of former criminal judge María Lourdes Afiuni, a political prisoner under Chávez in a process considered irregular, were also awaiting information on whether the measure could benefit her.
As of the morning of 20 May, Foro Penal had confirmed the release of 24 political prisoners in total: 22 men and two women.
Sources: diariolasamericas.com, with information from EFE and the NGOs Foro Penal, Realidad Helicoide and Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón.
Source: Google News VE — Caracas