Many of those who provoked violent actions after last Sunday’s elections did not even go to vote. Such statements were made by the Attorney General of the Republic, Tarek William Saab, who pointed out that many young people were “poisoned” through the networks.
In the videos presented by Saab to the media on Thursday, people were seen ordering people to shoot and kill the President, to knock down statues, and, in the midst of the euphoria, they took pictures and laughed while causing the damage.
He said that this is a psychological operation, “we have heard from people close to us how friends and family members posted messages on their WhatsApp calling for killing and attacking people. They were blocked. It is best to stay away from them, because at any moment they can stab you in the back,” he warned.
“They wanted to dream of an insurrection like the Caracazo, but they will not achieve it,” warned Saab, recalling what he called the “popular uprising” of 1989.
80 officials injured
“More than 80 police and military officers have been injured. My words of solidarity with the families of the security forces who have been attacked by these criminal groups,” the prosecutor said, while warning that through social networks a kind of brainwashing and “poisoning” of young people has been carried out, who were caught red-handed while causing damage to houses, structures and public property.
The head of the criminal action said that the subjects who have been arrested belong to Structured Organized Crime Groups (GEDO), have criminal records and were hired by those who came out to cry fraud.
He said that representatives of international media have observed that it is not social movements that are supposedly going out to protest.
He recalled that, in addition, since January 1, “they were saying that they were going to cry fraud.”
Several candidates have presented themselves
Regarding the ongoing investigations, which include the participation of the Supreme Court of Justice (following the appeal for protection filed by the Head of State) and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, he announced that several candidates “who had their moment in the electoral contest, have come forward to be part of the investigation.”
Saab emphasized that there is only one CNE and therefore urged those who report fraud to “present records, but not falsified by a system from outside the country,” warning that forging voting records “that do not even correspond” would be “the same thing they did in the primaries.”
Poisoned by the networks
In one of the first videos shown by Saab, related to the demolition of the statue of Commander Chavez in La Guaira, chats and comments can be seen where a person gives instructions in this regard. In this regard, the Prosecutor indicated that the mastermind has already been arrested.
“There is the mastermind who promoted the decapitation of a statue. That has nothing to do with a peaceful protest or an electoral event,” said the prosecutor.
He went on to show videos showing damage and fires caused to institutional headquarters.
In this regard, Saab asked: “What does the burning of an institution’s headquarters have to do with a protest over an electoral issue? They are committing acts of terrorism. If there are people inside, they can burn them,” he warned.
One of the subjects, arrested in Puerto La Cruz, who under the influence of several drugs uttered a series of threats against Congressman Diosdado Cabello, through a video posted on a social network, later appears in another recording saying that he was influenced by the call made by María Corina Machado.
“One truly feels compassion for these young people who are losing their minds and their future. Why? You go out on the streets of Venezuela today and you will only see absolute tranquility,” said Saab.
The prosecutor, who recalled being a criminal lawyer, said he had come to the conclusion after the interrogations that these were psychopaths who had been manipulated by masterminds who had stayed at home.
To support his claims, Saab showed a video of one of the young men, who confessed to his assault on the CNE headquarters in Falcón and said during questioning that he did not go to vote. Despite the violent actions he carried out, he said that they were due to “a joke and a joke.”
The prosecutor therefore stated that “there is no fooling around here, you must answer for your actions. This is not a game.”
All the perpetrators -said Saab- have been arrested in flagrante and will receive a fair trial. But those who are proven to have participated in a crime will be prosecuted and will be imprisoned with long sentences.
Saab also said that “those people who have been arrested and who are found not to have been carrying out violent activities will be released.”
For the prosecutor, it was not only about infuriating a sector of the population “but also getting them to kill, commit murders, and burn.”
He recalled that the so-called “hybrid war” dates back to the government of Hugo Chávez and when the coup took place on April 11, he, being a deputy, was taken from his home and driven around in a patrol car.
“During the coup d’état in 2002, the person speaking to you saw the face of fascism. I was arrested, beaten, moved between vehicles and alleged Disip members accused me of having weapons of war. My parliamentary immunity was violated,” he said.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office continues to work
Saab highlighted that the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Plaza Parque Carabobo organized a direct operation with the community on Thursday, managing to serve more than 200 people.
“See how we carried out the Public Prosecutor’s Office Goes to Your Community today. The people are being served, they are passing by in front of our headquarters now. I want to tell our people to keep going, to count on this institution. Today we are reaching 1.35 million people served since August 2017. I want to recognize the work of our officials and applause for those who have achieved this climate of peace,” said the head of the criminal action.
