Trend of Selective Assassinations against Chavistas The hit-man style executions of Dayana Caroina Azuaje and Gabriel Tovar on May 31st in San Martín (west of Caracas) after their participation in the “graffitti attack” on private TV channel Globovision are the latest in a growing list of selective executions being carried out against revolutionaries from the barrios.

The hit-man style executions of Dayana Caroina Azuaje and Gabriel Tovar on May 31st in San Martín (west of Caracas) after their participation in the “graffitti attack” on private TV channel Globovision are the latest in a growing list of selective executions being carried out against revolutionaries from the barrios.

This trend was described by Lina Ron, a chavista leader from the barrios, in an interview with VTV during the gigantic government march on Saturday June 2nd.

Ron read out the names of six chavistas who have been executed in the street in recent months and there is growing evidence that a campaign of selective assassinations of Bolivarians and chavistas is being carried out.

The effect of this campaign of terror is aimed to demoralize community movements and slow down the progress of revolutionary actions and conscience in the barrios. This urban execution campaign follows on the heels of the selective executions in the countryside of peasant leaders involved in the land reform program. So far since the Land Law was introduced in November 2001 more than 170 peasant leaders and agricultural unionists have been liquidated on the land.

The peasant executions are thought to be organized by big landowners using either local thugs or paid Colombian paramilitaries in the border states of Apure, Táchira and Zulia. In the case of the string of urban killings suspicions fall on paramilitary cells living amongst the general population in the Caracas barrios, since many young Colombians are said to have arrived in the last 18 months allegedly fleeing from the violence in their own country.

The killing of Dayana and Gabriel, both members of the Simon Bolivar Coordinator (CSB) appears to be linked to the airing of their actions several times on Globovision when the walls of the channel were daubed with graffiti. Retribution came one week after the protest by the CSB but was not as swift as the retribution taken against Conatel (National Telecommunications Commission) on October 3rd 2003.

On that date transmission equipment belonging to Globovision was confiscated by Conatel since it was being used on an illegal frequency. Less than one hour later a hand grenade was thrown at the Conatel offices from a motor cycle traveling at high speed which caused extensive damage to the façade of the building.

As CSB president Juan Contreras stated, the Bolivarian movement uses paint and arguments; the opposition uses bombs and bullets to make its point. Now that the trend of hit-man style executions has been identified, local leaders will have to be even more alert. It is to be hoped that more ultra left factions in the chavista movement do not decide to take revenge in kind. Such an escalation would lead to the gradual Colombianization of Venezuela, which would suit the US and its lackeys down to the ground as an excuse to intervene to protect oil supplies if chaos were to ensue in the country. Indeed, with the continuing international threats by the USA, this is likely to be an aspiration of their policy.

This clear threat of increased fascist and paramilitary violence has to be resisted by the mass of the Venezuelans themselves with International solidarity. The Bolivarian Revolution is the greatest hope to humanity.

Andy Goodall
VSC Coordinator

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