Relatives of Leonardo Azócar –uA trade unionist arrested a week ago, when he was going to Sidor to continue in front of a protest – denounced that they were never notified about the arrest. They indicated that “the Venezuelan State assigned a lawyer to the detainee and they were not allowed to change him for a private one.”
Author: Francesca Díaz / Correo del Caroní
Relatives of the Sidor union leader, Leonardo Azócar denounce the disappearance of the worker, after being arrested by officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) a week ago, when he was going to Sidor to continue in front of a protest, together with a group of a thousand workers.
From that day on, the family lost all communication with the worker in the Hot Rolling area, with 34 years of experience at the state company.
According to what was reviewed by the Caroní Mail, Until the time the information was published, the Azócar family did not know the whereabouts of the trade unionist.
“We demand that the State give us proof of my brother’s life. We do not want a flawed procedure. He has the right to defend himself.”Euclídes Azócar, the detainee’s brother, told the Correo del Caroní.
Leonardo Azócar’s brother said that the unionist assumed the leadership of the protest, because “that is my brother’s life, the union fight. He will have his detractors, but at the plant they know him ».
The arrest of Leonardo Azócar was due to his participation in a strike at the Sidor Pella Plant that began last Tuesday, June 6.
Days before his arrest, he denounced the presence of officials from the Bolivarian National Guard at the plant, who intimidated the workers, even pointing their weapons at them. weapons in order to dissipate the strike.
*Read also: Sebin raided the home of a Sidor worker to arrest him
According to the testimony of relatives, they were never notified of the arrest. Acquaintances and friends who have contacts with State security forces informed them that the worker was at the Dgcim headquarters in the Caronoco Club, owned by Ferrominera Orinoco.
“He was in the Caronoco Dgcim. On Sunday they allowed him to make a call. He called and told us that he had been treated with respect. I can’t lie on that. That day we brought him food and clothes, but they did not allow us to see him. We don’t know if they got it. After that, we were never able to talk to him again,” said Euclídes Azócar.
Charges and preliminary hearing
For the Azócar family, the legal situation of Leonardo, father of 8 children and breadwinner for his family, is diffuse. The Venezuelan State assigned him a public defender and they were not allowed to change for one of private exercise.
The case is in the hands of a public defender, and “we never had access to any type of information or the right to a private defense.”
The lawyer handling the case has contacted the relatives, who preferred to reserve their identity and contact for the moment.
Through this contact they learned that the charges against the detainee are hate speech, criminal association and boycott.
*Read also: Sebin raided the home of a Sidor worker to arrest him
The case remains in charge of the First Court for the Control of Economic Illicits and the 3rd Prosecutor’s Office of the Public Ministry, and Azócar is still awaiting the preliminary hearing, since the presentation took place in Puerto Ordaz.
Until now, the family is aware that a preventive measure with deprivation of liberty was issued.
The place of detention for the detainee was the Center for Prosecuted, Convicted and Women’s Annex of the metropolitan area of Caracas II, a maximum security area, located in Boleíta Norte, Caracas.
The information about the transfer of Azócar to Caracas was disseminated since the beginning of last week among the workers; However, the source asserted that they are not certain if the transfer has already occurred or if the worker continues in Bolívar state.
“The order was to transfer him to Caracas. We don’t know if that was effective or not. The presentation took place, supposedly, in Puerto Ordaz. They called him a few minutes before, I imagine so that the word about where my brother was would not spread.
We have asked the lawyer to let us speak to him, but this has not happened. The presentation hearing has already been held and now we have to wait for the preliminary hearing,” argued the relatives.
“If the governor does not know what is happening in his jurisdiction, let him resign”
Regarding the statements offered by the governor of the Bolívar state, Ángel Marcano, in which he stated “he had no information about the protest” and “did not get too involved in it”, the unionist’s brothers, José Ángel and Euclídes Azócar, asserted that if the governor does not have information about what is happening in his jurisdiction, he should resign his position.
“It is absurd. If he is the governor of Bolívar state, how could he not know about such an important problem. When Sutiss is the most important union in Bolívar state. If you’re not aware of that, you really don’t know the problems in the area. He should put his position in order,” they said.
Despite despair, for the family these circumstances are not unknown. Luis Leonardo Azócar Malavé, father of the trade unionist, was the first president of Sutiss, managing to sign the first collective contract at Sidor, a document that has been the basis for all subsequent contracts.
That is why the surname Azócar has been linked to union history for more than 40 years, steps that Leonardo followed until he became the Sidor board of directors in 2014.
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