4
7.
At the public hearing, the Commission expressed that it was difficult to accept that
the State indicated as “the death of five members of [the Barrios] family was what
correspond[ed] to abuse of authority.”
8.
At the public hearing the State informed that the Fourteenth Public Prosecutors’
Office of the State of Aragua, under the responsibility of attorney Guillermo José Raven
Freite, started the corresponding investigations. Interviews have been carried out with the
next of kin of the deceased, and the statement of a referential witness of the investigated
fact has been taken, but this has not led to the identification of the perpetrators or
participants in the criminal act. Therefore, the investigation is currently in its initial phases.
B)
On the general situation of the beneficiaries and the implementation of the
measures ordered by the Court
9.
In their brief of January 21, 2010, the representatives informed that on January 12,
2010, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Victim’s Attention Unit, annexed to the
Superior Office of the Prosecutor of the Public Prosecutors’ Office in the State of Aragua,
with the purpose of evaluating the situation of Víctor Cabrera Barrios and the
implementation of the measures of protection. However, the representatives stated that
“the actions of the State of Venezuela are redundant in regards to the holding of work
meetings […] given that each time the Commission or [t]he Court summon hearings with
the only purpose of proving interest in the compliance with the measures[, and] once the
hearings are held, […] the criminal investigations and the trials are paralyzed once again
[and that] the measures of protection, each time, seem further in sight of satisfying their
purpose.” Likewise, the representatives criticized the fact that at said meeting they only
discussed the implementation of the measures for Víctor Cabrera Barrios, but in regards to
the other members, they only received negative replies from the State. In that sense, the
representatives indicated that the State “continue[d] to fail to comply with the stipulations
of the orders of the Court in regards to the implementation, evaluation, and supervision of
the measures of protection.”
10.
At the public hearing and through a brief presented on January 28, 2010, the
representatives stated that despite the meeting held on January 12, 2010, “up until now,
none of the things offered has been complied with[, given that the] lack of coordination
between the public organizations and the apathy make it impossible for the State […] to
assume with dedication and care, the implementation of the urgent and necessary
measures that guarantee and protect the lives and assets of the beneficiaries.” The
representatives referred to the situation and condition of delicate health of several of the
beneficiaries6 and expressed their specific concern for the emotional state of Mrs. Elvira
Barrios, which, as a result of the death of her son Oscar Barrios, has deteriorated so
severely that she has gone as far as to attempt suicide twice. Subsequently, the
representatives filed a series of proposals with the objective of achieving “the full
coordination so as to guarantee effective protection” and they handed over a list with the
addresses of the members of the Barrios family in order to ease the implementation of the
measures in favor of all the beneficiaries.
6
Elvira Barrios, Maritza Barrios, Oneida Barrios, Eloisa Barrios, Pablo Solórzano, Juan Barrios, Caudi
Barrios, and Víctor Barrios.