The judicial process against sergeants Rubén Bermúdez, Javier Rafael Peña, Feydi Montero, Juan Díaz, Yecson Lozada, Jairo Villegas and Noé Romero has been plagued by irregularities, family members denounce. The group was stationed in the 42nd Parachute Brigade (Maracay) and was involved in alleged conspiracies linked to generals Raúl Isaías Baduel – who died in October 2021 – and Ramón Lozada Saavedra. Despite being soldiers, they are being tried in civilian courts where there have been recurring deferrals due to lack of transfers, the presence of witnesses, changes of judges and prosecutors.
Seven Army sergeants have been detained for nine years and 28 days for an alleged coup d’état conspiracy, in which generals Raúl Isaías Baduel – who died in October 2021 – and Ramón Lozada Saavedra were involved.
The judicial process, denounced by relatives of this group of soldiers, has been plagued by violations of due process, denial of access to justice, in addition to dozens of deferrals of hearings in military and civil courts that keep the group “without a real trial.”
Meanwhile, the health of the seven sergeants has deteriorated during their stay at the Los Teques National Center for Military Prosecutions (Cenapromil), better known as the Ramo Verde prison.
«No one talks about them, no one says anything. They are trying a deceased person (Baduel), there is a professor who does not appear, another is in the hospital in poor health. The only ones who are always in the hearings are the seven sergeants,” says Odalys Bermúdez, sister of First Sergeant Rubén Bermúdez.
Since November 2025, Odalys has not been able to see her brother Rubén. His mother is 88 years old and has several health problems that prevent her from making those types of trips to Los Teques. His father died last year as did his partner. “What we know about him is because other relatives tell us, we are more tied because only my mother and I are left.”
The trial against the paratroopers
The judicial process against the sergeants has been irregular from the moment of their arrest. Rubén Bermúdez, Javier Rafael Peña, Feydi Montero, Juan Díaz, Yecson Lozada, Jairo Villegas and Noé Romero were arrested on January 18, 2017, after being called to testify at the main headquarters of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim). The group was stationed in the 42nd Parachute Brigade (Maracay) and was held incommunicado for five days in Caracas.
The soldiers were returned to their command in Maracay, but while they were waiting for a meeting with the then general Juan Carlos Du Boulay, they were arrested by other members of the Dgcim Aragua with an alleged arrest warrant issued from Caracas. “They pretended that they were free and arrested them in Brigade 42. To date they are deprived of their freedom,” said Bermúdez’s sister.
The group was subjected to torture such as beatings, electric shocks and isolation after being linked to an alleged coup attempt led by Baduel. In the case of retired general Ramón Lozada Saavedra, he was arrested on January 21, 2017 for treason and instigation of rebellion. In 2018 he was granted a substitute measure of freedom, although a year later he was arrested again and linked to a conspiracy to “assassinate” Nicolás Maduro.
Although the files were different, the military courts decided to join the cases. “The alleged evidence is mixed in a disorderly manner, that is how this case is progressing,” says Bermúdez.
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The military spent a year and a half waiting for a preliminary hearing and in November 2021 they were notified that their case was going to civilian jurisdiction, specifically Trial Court 23 of the Caracas Metropolitan Area, due to the alleged presence of a civilian. Between military justice and ordinary justice there have been more than 60 deferrals for a trial to begin.
The lawyers still do not have access to the file for the trial, led by Judge Mariyaris Piñero. After several postponements since October 2025 due to lack of transfer, the hearing was finally held on February 12.
«They don’t give us answers or hope for anything. There are not even witnesses… They brought an alleged witness and he did not know anything about what was happening,” says Bermúdez, who hopes that the group can benefit from the amnesty law, although they do not have much hope “because they are not visible.”
«They have always remained open and do not go from there. It’s been nine years and almost two months, we want you to leave them alone now. “Until when?” he asks the authorities.
He also calls on Delcy Rodríguez about the human rights violations and judicial irregularities that have been committed against these soldiers. On one occasion, according to what the sergeants told the family members, they offered the group to take the blame and would be sentenced to 25 years in prison, so they refused.
Odalys Bermúdez insisted that the health of her brother and the rest of the group has been affected by the conditions of confinement. «My brother suddenly gets sugar spikes, if not it’s the tension. One of his colleagues also has tension problems, another has constant headaches and they don’t know the cause.
He states that on some occasions they have been sent for forensic examination, “they take photos and nothing more… By the mercy of God they are alive and we do not want to lose them. “They should not be left alone because they are innocent.”
*Journalism in Venezuela is carried out in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments in place to punish the word, especially the laws “against hate”, “against fascism” and “against the blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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