Franklin Caldera Sr. said that in Venezuela civil society organizations have been constantly harassed and persecuted, “and it is these associations that document the violations that constitute crimes against humanity.”
Franklin Caldera, father of First Lieutenant Franklin Caldera Martínez, denounced before the United Nations Human Rights Council that his son had been the victim of serious human rights violations by officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim).
In a telematic participationCaldera specified that her son, who has been detained for more than 760 days for political reasons, has suffered episodes of physical and psychological torture, and also their fundamental guarantees are not respected.
At the beginning of 2019, Franklin Caldera deserted from the Venezuelan Army and decided to go to Cúcuta, Colombia. After he appeared, along with other soldiers, in a public manifesto against President Nicolás Maduro, a persecution began against him and also reached his family.
His sister, who held the rank of lieutenant, suffered psychological, verbal, and physical abuse. As a consequence of these violent episodes, she suffered at least three miscarriages. While her parents were detained for at least five days to pressure them to reveal Caldera’s whereabouts.
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Lieutenant Franklin Caldera was involved in “Operation Aurora”, a military rebellion made up of a handful of officers whose objective was to protect the indigenous people of southern Venezuela.
At the beginning of 2020, the soldier traveled to Norte de Santander to meet his son, but Dgcim troops arbitrarily detained him, his father explained. FHe was transferred to Caracas, where he was the victim of physical and psychological torture. In 2021, he was transferred to the Ramo Verde prison.
Franklin Caldera Sr. said that in Venezuela civil society organizations have been constantly harassed and persecuted, “and it is these associations that document the violations that constitute crimes against humanity.”
In addition, he assured that attacking NGOs through the bill promoted by the ruling party “puts the victims at risk, interferes with the right to defend human rights and undermines our path in the search for justice and reparation.” Caldera said that the prison of Professor Javier Tarazona is an example of this, for which he called for the total rejection of this regulation.
With information from Defend Venezuela
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