They ask to clarify the links between the ex-minister of Hugo Chávez and the ELN

A new complaint lodged by the NGO FundaRedes with the Venezuelan prosecutor’s office would be the key to knowing new details about the relations of the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) with the government of that country during the time of Hugo Chávez. At the center of the question would be Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, former Minister of the Interior and Justice of the former President of Bolivia.

According to the said organization, was the former official responsible for maintaining communication with the above-mentioned guerrilla leaders, and even, to provide these and even members of the extinct Farc, with “safe houses” which served as a refuge in the state of Barinas. These properties were in the name of Rodríguez himself, according to Javier Tarazona, director of the NGO.

“Today we ask the public prosecutor to investigate the relationship between Ramón Rodríguez Chacín and Carola de Rodríguez —Wife of the former minister—, with the heads of the central command of the ELN, their participation in the guerrilla shelters that we already denounced a few weeks ago in front of this office as the fifth El Vendaval, the Hato Guayabal, in the state of Barinas ”, were Tarazona’s words in this regard.

It should be remembered that today’s accused is also a former soldier whose close relationship with Chávez led him to be in charge of mediation with the said Colombian guerrillas, with the aim of obtaining the peaceful release of the hostages kidnapped in Colombia and Venezuela.

This work allowed him, at the same time, to approach senior commanders of the ELN as Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista himself, aka ‘Gabino’, who until a week ago was the highest boss of this organization; and two other important leaders. In any case, FundaRedes has photos that prove the encounters between all these individuals.

It should be noted that the NGO also warned that the withdrawal of “Gabino” from the ELN command should be investigated, as such a change could end up limiting the exploitation of clandestine tracks, laboratories and presence in 21 states of Venezuela guerrilla groups or, on the contrary, could provoke a deepening of illicit activities.

The photographs, added the director of the NGO, are “an element for ask the Public Prosecutor to inform us about the scope of this type of relationship», Which they consider questionable given the growing presence of the ELN on Venezuelan territory. Today, said guerrilla warfare is said to be present in at least 21 states in the neighboring country.

Likewise, the spokesperson indicated that “we ask the public prosecutor to inquire about the relationship that exists between Agropecuaria Don Pío, agricultural register in the name of Ramón Rodríguez Chacín, and the operations of irregular armed groups on the national territory ”.

Likewise, Tarazona questioned if there is a relationship between the company known as the limited company for security and protection Armor, and the weapons which have been reported to the Public Prosecutor’s Office as missing, and in turn, links with armed men who permanently guard the heads of dissidents of the Farc and the ELN on Venezuelan territory, even allowing the use of the town hall of the municipality of Páez in the state of Apure as the center of operations for these armed groups.

At the same time, questions were asked in the presence of José María Romero alias “Chema”, head of the Bolivarian Liberation Forces (FBL), in the fights waged by FARC dissidents since the end of March in this same Venezuelan state.

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