A Protester's Plea for Asylum

By Ryan C. Kossler

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 

LIMA, Peru - Oscar Perez is seeking political asylum in Peru to escape persecution on charges that he incited violence during an August 22, 2009 protest against a controversial education law in Venezuela.  His arrest was ordered last month by a Venezuelan court on charges of conspiring to commit and instigate crimes.  Opponents to the education law fear that it will lead to political indoctrination in schools.  Perez is a co-founder of the National Resistance Commando, an anti-Chavez group, and has helped organize several protests against the Venezuelan government.

 

Opposition leaders such as Perez have been described by government officials as trying to destabilize the government of Venezuela by disrupting the peace and order of the democratic system.  After the protest of the education law, Venezuela's Attorney General Luisa Ortega said that "street protests were legally tantamount to "rebellion" against President Hugo Chavez's government," and that the protesters would be charged.  Ortega further said that the "These precise actions are in effect criminal civil rebellion."

 

Peru has been known to grant asylum to many of Latin America's opposition leaders.  Peruvian President Alan Garcia's government has granted asylum to Manuel Rosales, Eduardo Lapi, and Carlos Ortega of Venezuela, along with several former government officials from Bolivia, among others. 

 

It is not yet known whether or not the Peruvian government will grant Perez's request for asylum, however, Perez's attorney Angel Delgado said "We are convinced that Peru's government, honoring its continental tradition of solidarity for the defense of those who fight for democratic liberty, will grant asylum whenever there is a clear case of political persecution," as there is believed to be here.

 

According to the Venezuelan Penal Forum, over the past seven years, more than 2,000 Chavez opponents have been put on trial for political opposition related crimes.  Attorney General Ortega however denies that prosecutors are persecuting opponents of the government, and instead insists that all the arrests have been for crimes such as disturbing the peace or assaulting police officers.

 

Opponents however claim that the government is using the regular judicial process to achieve its political persecution goals.  Perez's wife, Marta Molina said that her husband is seeking asylum in Peru "because there's no possibility of a fair trial in Venezuela."  She further added that "the entire justice system is controlled by the government, and the judges do whatever the President orders."

 

Perez has had to leave behind his wife and two daughters.

 

For more information, please see:

 

AFP - Venezuela accuses protesters of attempting 'rebellion' - 29 August 2009

 

Miami Herald - Venezuela opposition activist seeks asylum in Peru - 17 September 2009

 

Miami Herald - Rights group: Dozens of protesters in prison- 16 September 2009