Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Judicial District of the State of Falcón stated that the
“proceedings requested [in the context of the investigation into the death of Néstor
José Uzcátegui,] were clearly insufficient given the complexity of the case, particularly
since it involves a crime against a person and even more so because it involves an
alleged police confrontation, a phenomenon that currently occurs quite frequently, […]
because of the state of impunity prevailing in the country as a result of a multifaceted
problem that we are experiencing nowadays.” 207
140. Furthermore, as is analyzed below (infra paras. 216 to 231), the Court takes
into account that the authorities’ investigation of the facts surrounding the death of
Néstor José Uzcátegui has not been prompt or effective, nor has it been conducted
within a reasonable time, because several of the basic investigative procedures
necessary in this type of incident were not carried out.
141. Based on the foregoing, the Court concludes that the State did not present
consistent, coherent, varied, reliable and sufficient evidence to consider that the use of
use of lethal force against Néstor José Uzcátegui was, in the circumstances of the
incident, legitimate or, in this scenario, absolutely necessary and proportional, or that
the police officers who participated in this operation attempted to use other less lethal
means. In any case, the State’s responsibility has been established since it did not
demonstrate that the police officers had used lethal force because Mr. Uzcátegui’s
actions posed a real and imminent danger to themselves or to others.
142. With regard to domestic regulations governing use of force, the Court finds that
the representatives have not specified which rules of domestic legislation are, in their
view, incompatible with international standards on the use of force by State security
forces. For its part, the State in its arguments has referred to the rules adopted in
recent years, particularly since 2006, governing the use of force by members of the
police. Therefore, the Court considers that insufficient elements have been provided to
examine the facts in light of Article 2 of the Convention.
143. In conclusion, the Court considers that the State has not demonstrated in this
case that the police officers of the State of Falcón used legitimate and, where
applicable, necessary and proportional force against Mr. Néstor José Uzcátegui; rather,
it has been clearly proven that his death is attributable to the State; therefore, it
considers that the State is responsible for the arbitrary deprivation of the life of Mr.
Néstor José Uzcátegui, in violation of his right to life, recognized in Article 4(1) of the
American Convention, in conjunction with Article 1(1) thereof.
VI. 2
THE ARREST OF LUIS AND CARLOS UZCÁTEGUI ON JANUARY 1, 2001.
(RIGHTS TO PERSONAL LIBERTY AND RIGHTS OF THE CHILD)
A. - Arguments
144. The Commission argued that the State is responsible for the violation of Articles
7(1), 7(2), 7(3), 7.4 and 7(5), in conjunction with Article 1(1), of the American
Convention, to the detriment of Luis Enrique Uzcátegui, and in conjunction with Article
19 of said instrument to the detriment of Carlos Eduardo Uzcátegui, for his arrest on
January 1, 2001. It argued that the arrest took place without a warrant and without
207
Brief of April 17, 2001, file IP01-P-2010-005394 forwarded by the State (Evidence file, volume 7,
page 3552).
36