brief of vice admiral mario ivan carratú m

Brief of Vice Admiral Mario Ivan Carratú Molina Washington, DC jul16, 2014 Mario Ivan Carratú Molina is a retired Vice Admiral of the Venezuelan Navy, who served as the head of presidential honor guard of former President Carlos Andres Pérez (1990-1992). On February 4, 1992, Adm. Carratú defended, evacuated, and safeguarded the president during a military coup, in which the infantry and armored groups besieged the Government Palace in an attempt to topple the democratic system. Since that time, political currents opposed to freedom and democracy in V enezuela have targeted Adm. Carratú. More than two decades later, on January 2014, the Venezuelan regime announced that it wished to detain Adm. Carratú upon his return to Venezuela from the United States. This announcement followed the public release, by Venezuela’s Minister of Information, of political opposition members that included personal information of Adm. Carratú. Such an act violates the Venezuelan constitution. A month later, on February 12, 2014, a fabricated audio recording was broadcast on Venezuelan public television detailing an alleged telephone call between Adm. Carratú and former Ambassador Fernando Gerbasi. The public release of the fabricated audio recording was meant to serve as evidence to accuse both Amb. Gerbasi and Adm. Carratú as perpetrators of a conspiracy to incite political violence in Venezuela. The following day, President Nicolás Maduro personally named Adm. Carratú on national television as being directly responsible for the protests and mass mobilizations that had erupted the day prior. President Maduro’s proclamation was immediately followed by orders to capture and arrest Adm. Carratú, regardless of the fact that the retired Admiral had been in the United States since December 2013. This arrest order was supplemented by a search warrant issued by the Venezuelan Ministry of Interior and Justice, violating Adm. Carratú’s private property and his right to timely and impartial due process. Convinced that his personal safety and security of his family was threatened, Adm. Carratú decided to stay in the United States, where he currently resides. After the 1992 attempted coup d’état, Adm. Carratú held several posts, including the Director of National Defense Institute (1992-1994) and the Defense Attaché of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington D.C. (1994-1995). During his last post, Adm. Carratú was awarded the Legion of Merit by the President of the United States.

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Page 1: Brief of Vice Admiral Mario Ivan Carratú M

Brief of Vice Admiral Mario Ivan Carratú Molina

Washington, DC jul16, 2014

Mario Ivan Carratú Molina is a retired Vice Admiral of the Venezuelan Navy,who served as the head of presidential honor guard of former President CarlosAndres Pérez (1990-1992). On February 4, 1992, Adm. Carratú defended,evacuated, and safeguarded the president during a military coup, in which theinfantry and armored groups besieged the Government Palace in an attempt totopple the democratic system. Since that time, political currents opposed tofreedom and democracy in Venezuela have targeted Adm. Carratú.

More than two decades later, on January 2014, the Venezuelan regimeannounced that it wished to detain Adm. Carratú upon his return to Venezuelafrom the United States. This announcement followed the public release, byVenezuela’s Minister of Information, of political opposition members thatincluded personal information of Adm. Carratú. Such an act violates theVenezuelan constitution.

A month later, on February 12, 2014, a fabricated audio recording wasbroadcast on Venezuelan public television detailing an alleged telephone callbetween Adm. Carratú and former Ambassador Fernando Gerbasi. The publicrelease of the fabricated audio recording was meant to serve as evidence toaccuse both Amb. Gerbasi and Adm. Carratú as perpetrators of a conspiracy toincite political violence in Venezuela. The following day, President NicolásMaduro personally named Adm. Carratú on national television as being directlyresponsible for the protests and mass mobilizations that had erupted the dayprior.

President Maduro’s proclamation was immediately followed by orders to captureand arrest Adm. Carratú, regardless of the fact that the retired Admiral hadbeen in the United States since December 2013. This arrest order wassupplemented by a search warrant issued by the Venezuelan Ministry of Interiorand Justice, violating Adm. Carratú’s private property and his right to timelyand impartial due process.

Convinced that his personal safety and security of his family was threatened,Adm. Carratú decided to stay in the United States, where he currently resides.

After the 1992 attempted coup d’état, Adm. Carratú held several posts,including the Director of National Defense Institute (1992-1994) and theDefense Attaché of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington D.C. (1994-1995).During his last post, Adm. Carratú was awarded the Legion of Merit by thePresident of the United States.