18 30 90. Later, the media broadcast stories about the presence of Allan Brewer Carías at Tiuna Fort in the early-morning hours of April 12, 2002, connecting him with the drafting of what became known as the Carmona Decree. For example, the media reported that: At the headquarters of the Army Command, in the zone reserved for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pedro Carmona had been installed in a cubicle…. In the cubicle across from him was Allan Brewer Carías, drafting by hand what would become the Constitutive Act of the Transition Government…. Brewer Carías replied: ‘The resignation doesn’t matter. Lucas is about to 31 announce it on television and that will be more than enough….’ 91. In numerous press conferences, Allan Brewer Carías denied what he called 32 speculations. On April 13, 2002, the alleged victim gave an interview in which, with reference to the “government of democratic transition,” he said: […] that the constitutive document of the transition government is based on the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which Venezuela signed on September 11, 2001… And so is the new government’s legal reference point the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and not the National Constitution of 1999, drafted by the Constitutional Assembly and validated in a national referendum? Not exactly. What this was was the exercise of the civic right of resistance or civil disobedience, which is guaranteed and provided for in Article 350 of the National Constitution. The people of Venezuela, through their representatives, repudiated a regime, authorities, legislation that went against democratic principles and values and that violated constitutional rights and guarantees. Undeniably, there was a civil rebellion, followed by the resignation of the President of the Republic, as was announced by the military command. The constitutional vacuum had to be filled by the representatives of different sectors of society, on the basis, I insist, of Article 340 of the Constitution. How can you speak of abiding by the rule of law if the governing council agreed to dissolve the legitimately established powers? The dissolution of the legitimately established powers 33 is a manifestation of that right of civil disobedience. 92. The National Assembly appointed a “Special Parliamentary Commission to investigate the events of April 2002.” In its July 2002 report, this Special Commission urged the Citizen’s Branch of Government to investigate and determine the responsibilities of citizens “who, without being vested with 30 Annex 4. Edgar López, Carta Interamericana Democrática fundamenta Gobierno de Transición. In: El Nacional, April 13, 2002; Laura Weffer Cifuentes, Cómo se fraguó la renuncia de Hugo Chávez. In: El Nacional, April 13, 2002; Mariela León, Primer Presidente Empresario. In: El Universal, April 13, 2002; Patricia Poleo, Factores de poder. In: El Nuevo País, April 16 and 17, 2002; Ricardo Peña, Círculo íntimo. In: El Reporte, April 18, 2002; Patricia Poleo, Factores de poder. In: El Nuevo País, April 25, 2002; Francisco Olivares, interviewing Daniel Romero, Los militares manejaron todas las decisiones políticas. In: El Universal, April 26, 2002; Milagros Socorro, Al país se le tendió una trampa. In: El Nacional, April 27, 2002; Francisco Olivares, Historia del segundo decreto. In: El Universal, April 28, 2002; Nitu Pérez Osuna, El video de Chávez retenido. In: El Mundo, May 3, 2002; Television programs of Rafael Poleo and Patricia Poleo, Dominio Público (Venevisión), April 12, 2002; César Miguel Rondón, interviewing Teodoro Petkoff, on 30 Minutos (Televén), May 12, 2002; Domingo Blanco, interviewing Patricia Poleo, on Primera Página (Globovisión), April 15, 2002; César Miguel Rondón, interviewing Patricia Poleo, on 30 Minutos (Televén), April 16, 2002; Luisiana Ríos and Carlos Omobono, interviewing Patricia Poleo, on La Entrevista (RCTV), April 16, 2002; Carlos Fernández, interviewing Tarek William Saab, on Triángulo (Televén), May 10, 2002; Voces de un país program, with Luis García Figueroa (Globovisión), May 28, 2002. Formal indictment of Allan Brewer Carías of January 27, 2005. Annex 5 to the original petition received on January 24, 2007. 31 Annex 5.Article in the daily El Nuevo País, April 16, 2002, by Patricia Poleo, Factores de poder. Cited in the formal indictment of Allan Brewer Carías, January 27, 2005; Annex 5 to the original petition received on January 24, 2007. 32 Annex 6. Allan Brewer Carías responde a las acusaciones: No redacté el decreto de Carmona Estanga, story by Ana Damelis Guzmán, El Globo, Caracas, April 17, 2002, p. 4. El abogado desmiente haber redactado acta constitutiva de gobierno transitorio; Brewer Carías se desmarca de Pedro Carmona Estanga, story by Feliz González Roa Notitarde, Valencia, April 17, 2002, p. 13. Brewer Carías: no sé quién redactó el decreto Carmona, story by Jaime Granda, El Nuevo País, April 17, 2002, p. 2. Allan R. Brewer Carías En mi propia defensa. Respuesta preparada con la asistencia de mis defensores Rafael Odremán y León Henrique Cottib contra la infundada acusación fiscal por el supuesto delito de conspiración, Editorial Jurídica Venezolana, Caracas, 2006, p. 192 et al. See stories in Annex 2 to the original petition received on January 24, 2007. 33 Annex 7. Article published in the daily El Nacional, April 13, 2002, by Edgar López, Carta Interamericana Democrática fundamenta gobierno de transición. Cited in the formal indictment of Allan Brewer Carías, January 27, 2005; Annex 5 to the original petition received on January 24, 2007.