President of the National Border Council informed within the context of the internal processes, that the decision to terminate these contracts had been taken under their seventh clause, where it’s states that "the contractor reserves the right to terminate this contract when deemed appropriate, upon notice to the 'contracted' made at least one month in advance” 74. 97. The Executive Secretary of the National Border Council said in a communication registered on the file that "at no time the President of the Agency stated that the grounds for the termination of contracts were due to an alleged 'gesture of distrust', in which San Miguel Sosa, Chang Girón y Peña would have incurred by signing the petition for the presidential recall referendum, and therefore a reckless interpretation of that decision has no basis"75. In a radio interview, the Executive Secretary said that the three alleged victims were dismissed by order of the Vice President as a result of a restructuring76. 98. Also, in his statement given to the Prosecutor, on July 14, 2004, the then Executive Secretary of the National Border Council denied having said to some of the victims of this case that their dismissal was due to a gesture of distrust that they had committed by signing the request for the presidential recall referendum77. 99. In contrast to this, in the context of the legal proceedings described below, several elements emerged indicating that the termination of contract of the alleged victims was related to the signing of the petition for the presidential recall referendum. 100. In her testimony before the Prosecutor’s Office, on July 15, 2004, Rocío San Miguel Sosa stated that on March 11, 2004 Feijoo Colomine Rincones, Executive Secretary of the National Border Council, verbally informed her of her possible dismissal, explaining to her that in a conversation held with José Vicente Rangel Vale, President of the National Border Council, he ordered him to "proceed to the dismissal of Rocío San Miguel and Thais Peña because these people had petitioned for the presidential recall"78. In said interview, Rocío San Miguel also said the on March 31, 2004 she spoke with Ilia Azpúrua, legal advisor of the Vice President and Secretary of the Cabinet, and that person told her "it was not possible that working at the White Palace I had signed [the petition], that I was a person of trust, and that by signing I had shown a gesture of distrust"79. In this statement Rocío San Miguel stressed that of over twenty people working in the National Border Council, they only dismissed the four people who signed the petition for the recall referendum, however Mr. Jorge Navarro Guerra was able to keep his job by disavowing his signature in the challenge process80. She also stated that in the conversation with Feijoo Colomine he told her that "he had managed to stop the dismissal of Jorge the IACHR on January 16, 2008. In accordance with communication of the then Executive Secretary of the National Border Council, the alleged victims worked for the National Border Council until April 30, 2004. See Annex 20. Letter from the Executive Secretary of the National Border Council to Prosecutor 37 of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, July 13, 2004, Annex II of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006. 74 Annex 27. Communication of the Executive Secretary of the National Border Council addressed to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas in relation to the termination of the employment relationship with the victims in this case, page 1, Annex E to the State’s submission within the admissibility process before the IACHR on January 16, 2008. 75 Annex 27. Communication of the Executive Secretary of the National Border Council addressed to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas in relation to the termination of the employment relationship with the victims in this case, page 2, Annex E to the State’s submission within the admissibility process before the IACHR on January 16, 2008. 76 Annex 28. Interview by Ybellize Pacheco to Feijoo Colomine on August 3, 2004, Annex G of Annex IV of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006. 77 Annex 29. Transcript of the interview with Feijoo Colomine Rincones, before the Office of the Thirty-Seventh Prosecuting Attorney on July 14, 2004, Annex II of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006 78 Annex 22. Transcript of the interview with Rocío del Carmen San Miguel Sosa, before the Office of the Thirty-Seventh Prosecuting Attorney on July 15, 2004, Annex II of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006 79 Annex 22. Transcript of the interview with Rocío del Carmen San Miguel Sosa, before the Office of the Thirty-Seventh Prosecuting Attorney on July 15, 2004, Annex II of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006 80 Annex 22. Transcript of the interview with Rocío del Carmen San Miguel Sosa, before the Office of the Thirty-Seventh Prosecuting Attorney on July 15, 2004, Annex II of the complaint filed before the IACHR on March 7, 2006 18