Chile, which was once the most prosperous and secure nation in the region, is now suffering the impact of the Venezuelan exile. Among the many effects is the arrival on its soil of organized crime from that nation devastated by socialism. This now includes being the headquarters of politically motivated hitmen. For example, a retired Venezuelan ex-military man was murdered on Chilean soil. Now, at last, one of those involved has been convicted.
The Chilean justice system took eight months (since the murder was committed) to sentence the person. However, the teenager involved had been in custody since March of this year. The victim was Lieutenant (r)Ronald Ojeda Since the convicted person is a minor, his sentence will not be as severe.
Applied to the “abbreviated procedure”. In total, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment. Of these, two will be spent in a closed regime and three in a semi-closed regime. All within a social reintegration programme. In addition, the time he has already spent in prison will count in his favour.
«Although the sentence is low for such an atrocious crime, it is within the framework of the law on juvenile criminal responsibility and is what was appropriate,» said the plaintiff’s lawyer Juan Carlos Manríquez after the verdict.
«We expect a greater sentence when the extradition of Mikael Villegas from Costa Rica is completed, and that the other culprits are arrested, now that Chile has the PDI already
Carabinieri at Interpol,” he added.
Since the convicted man is a minor, his name has not been revealed. However, his nationality is known: Venezuelan. He was detained in Tiltil, after being sentenced for illegal possession of drugs, weapons and assaulting prison guards.
The minor’s role in the murder would have been as a decoy. His role was “sing the zone” on the street, which in other places is known as a “bell”. He must alert others when someone approaches, especially security agents or police officers. He was in charge of
This, while the fake police officers who participated kidnapped the retired Venezuelan military officer.
Extradition of another person involved in the process
Although the minor is the first to be convicted, there are more involved. So far they have evaded Chilean justice by being out of the country. However, the extradition of one who is already in custody has begun.
As previously mentioned, 26-year-old Mikael Villegas is in Costa Rica. He was captured there in July of this year, through the cooperation of Costa Rican police authorities and Interpol.
At the moment, Villegas, also Venezuelan, is imprisoned in a maximum security prison in Costa Rica. Meanwhile, Chile is already managing his extradition. It is currently in the process of being processed.
This is the first step in that direction. There are still other suspects who have escaped from Chile and therefore from justice. Some are in Venezuela and others in Central America. However, the chief prosecutor of the investigation, Alex Cortéz, said that in the next few months there could be extraditions of the other perpetrators.
“Costa Rica agreed to extradite, in the first instance, the accused Maikel Villegas, who was charged in absentia, after his arrest on the Costa Rica-Panama border, while fleeing from Chile to North America,” Cortéz explained.
He referred to the case of Costa Rica. He made no statements regarding the suspects who are in his native Venezuela.
Venezuela has already surpassed 8 million exiles. It broke the world record that until now was held by the Syrians, who fled a war. But socialism produced more. First of an ideological nature, then of an economic nature, and now those who have been indoctrinated by the regime show the anti-values propagated by a tyranny that promotes expropriation as a form of justice and therefore validates theft as a weapon.
Since the October 2019 riots, Chile has seen a surge in Venezuelan presence in terms of crime. At that time, when the insurrection that occurred simultaneously in Colombia and Ecuador took place; what Nicolás Maduro called the Bolivarian breezes.
While most Venezuelans who have gone into exile have proven to be honest people, the unfortunate presence of the Tren de Aragua and other organized crime groups is tarnishing their reputation, especially in Chile. And now justice is taking action so that another crime can begin to be solved.
María Herrera Mellado es una abogada de EE.UU. y licenciada en España. Doctora en Ciencias Jurídicas y Analista política. La Dra. Herrera es conocida por su amplia experiencia en análisis y consultas en el diseño de políticas públicas, propuestas de ley y gestión en relaciones internacionales.
Su reconocimiento proviene de sus contribuciones al análisis y representación legal de diversas organizaciones, empresas e individuos que han visto abusados sus derechos humanos, su privacidad o en la inclusión de políticas efectivas fundamentalmente en el ámbito de la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas, así como la lucha contra la corrupción.
Su formación académica y experiencias profesionales la convierten en una voz respetada en el debate público y en el análisis de temas de actualidad sobre todo en los desafíos políticos y legales contemporáneos.
María Herrera Mellado is a U.S.-based attorney also licensed in Spain. She holds a PhD in Legal Sciences and is known as a media legal and policy analyst.
Dr. Herrera is recognized for her extensive experience in analyzing and consulting on public policy design, legislative proposals, and international relations management.
Her recognition stems from her contributions to the analysis and legal representation of various organizations, companies, and individuals whose human rights or privacy have been violated, or who have benefited from the inclusion of effective policies, primarily in the areas of transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption.
Her academic background and professional experience make her a respected voice in public debate and in the analysis of current issues, particularly in contemporary political and legal challenges.