The statements obtained by La República and the security video images of the Municipality of Lima and of businesses near the place where Víctor Santisteban was assassinated They point out that, like dozens of other people, the victim was leaving the area. He was not facing law enforcement.
Photojournalists from the weekly Hildebrandt en sus trece and from the newspaper El Comercio, Joel Duran and Renzo Salazarrespectively, were at the scene and witnessed Victor’s last minutes alive.
Elizabeth Santisteban, sister of the deceased, confirmed that her relative did participate in the march as a protesterwhich he verified when they handed him the cell phone of the deceased in the Grau hospital.
Conversations were found on the cell phone between Víctor Santisteban and a woman whose identity is withheld while the investigation is in progress.
The friend invited Santisteban to join the marches. Finally, the January 28 Santisteban agreed. It was that day that he received the fatal impact.
Elizabeth Santisteban revealed that her brother and the woman participated in the march normally until, at around 7:15 pm or 7:20 pm, they passed through block 9 of the abancay avenuewhere there were still protesters.
at 7:32 p.m. one of the two policemen who were walking together on the track fired for no reason to the people who left the place.
“What she (Santisteban’s friend) tells us is that they were returning as normal, when they were surprised with so many tear gas bombs, that they had to seek shelter in the villa,” said Elizabeth Santisteban about the place where she fell down.
Renzo Salazar remembers being alerted by screams. “I hear that from behind they say: ‘They killed him, they killed him, he’s dead.’ I run back and remember that I focused on the pool of blood.”recounts.
Joel Durán also remembered it this way: “More or less half a block in front of me there was a small crowd of people who began to shout: ‘Help, doctor!’ I ran and the first thing I saw was the huge pool of blood. At that moment, I took the photos and continued… I only remember the feeling that the person who was injured was not going to survive.”
daniel vargasmember of the San Martin Brigade, was one of the witnesses. According to him, when she turned to where there were screams, “Santisteban already had a blood circumference of more or less 40 to 50 cm and there was brain mass exposure.” Vargas commented that “guarantees were not given at that time to care for him” due to police repression.
Durán described that moment. “First, two people secured his head, bandaged him well (…) Then they took him up and together they began to carry him. We have walked to the corner of the street that goes down just to the Grau emergency hospital. We will have taken about five minutes, ”she recalled.
Elizabeth Santisteban does not cease in her search for justice.
“If I have to stand in front of the Prosecutor’s Office, in front of the Congress, in front of the Government Palace, I’m going to do it. Whether it lasts one, two, three, four, five years, I’m going to do it ”, she assures. The progress of the case and remembering the patient and calm personality of her brother lead her to leave us a sad and harsh sentence before concluding her participation in this report: “He, who in his youth wanted to be a policeman and look, ironically, a policeman took his life”.
Institutions that sow doubts
Essalud issued two statements, the first indicating Santisteban “polyconcussion and severe head injury.” This was changed to “sharp blunt wound, product of a blow”, which was supported by the Ministry.
Authorities used this change to allege that the offense had been between protesters.
Mistreatment by Grau hospital personnel against members of the Santisteban family was reported.
reactions
Daniel Vargas, San Martin Brigade
“I look back and see that Santisteban already had a blood circumference of more or less 40 to 50 centimeters and there was exposure of a brain mass… No guarantees were given to treat him.”
Joel Durán, Photojournalist H13
“I ran and the first thing I saw was the huge pool of blood. At that moment, I took the photos and continued… I only remember the feeling that the person who was injured was not going to survive.”
Renzo Salazar, Photojournalist EC
“I hear that from behind they say: ‘They killed him, they killed him, he’s dead.’ I run back and only remember that I focused on the pool of blood. Everyone said that she had a pulse, but she looked very bad”.
