72
hospital where that leg was amputated. Her right arm is disabled
because of a vaccine they applied due to the wounds suffered on her
leg;173
ii)
at the time of the facts she worked as a secretary; she
contributed on a monthly basis to household expenses and earned
minimum wage. She has not been able to get a job because of her
missing leg and disabled arm;174
iii)
she is single;175 and
iv)
after the facts she had to buy two prostheses, a valve for one
of these, and the medicine required for rehabilitation. She constantly
has to buy bandages. She has received therapy for her arm, but the
damage is irreversible. She has suffered insomnia and depression and
has undergone psychological treatment. She has covered all expenses
in connection with her treatment, but cannot specify the exact amount
spent.176
Other facts
66.61. The next of kin of the victims suffered pecuniary and non-pecuniary
damage due to the deaths, disappearances or wounds of the victims, and due
to the difficulties to obtain justice and to attempt that the facts not remain
unpunished;177
66.62. that on April 24, 1989 the Civil Association Comité de Familiares de las
Víctimas de los Sucesos de Febrero – Marzo (COFAVIC) was established with
the main goals of “demanding elucidation of the facts pertaining to all the
human rights violations during the February-March, 1989 events, by the
bodies responsible for defense of citizens’ rights; accompanying and
173
Cf. testimony of Noraima Sosa Ríos rendered on March 27, 2002 at the 29th Notary Public of
Libertador Municipality of the Federal District.
174
Cf. testimony of Noraima Sosa Ríos rendered on March 27, 2002 at the 29th Notary Public of
Libertador Municipality of the Federal District.
175
Cf. testimony of Noraima Sosa Ríos rendered on March 27, 2002 at the 29th Notary Public of
Libertador Municipality of the Federal District.
176
Cf. testimony of Noraima Sosa Ríos rendered on March 27, 2002 at the 29th Notary Public of
Libertador Municipality of the Federal District; March 20, 1989 invoice by Clínica Atias, Hospitalización y
Servicios C.A.; and May 29, 1998 invoice of Fundación Hospital Ortopédico Infantil for change of
prosthesis.
177
Cf. reports by experts Magdalena López de Ibáñez, Alicia B. Neuburger and Jesús María Casal and
statements by Margarita Mederos, Francisco Moncada, Fernando Enrique Pérez, Braulio Ramón Guía Laya,
Catalina Ramos de Guevara, Juan Carlos Suárez Sánchez, Henry Eduardo Herrera Hurtado, Rafael
Castellanos, Iris Medina, Dilia Mendoza de Ramos, Gregoria Matilde Castillo, Xiomara Hernández, Rosa
Julia Aldana Bastidas, Nelly Marcano, Nelly Freitez, Miguelina La Rosa, Emileidys Ferrán Cedeño, Mery
Marina Castillo, Aura Rosa Liscano Betancourt, Hilda Rosa Páez, María Casilda Valero Suárez, Haydée
Mavilu Blanco, María Teresa Rivas, Petra Bello, María Encarnación Salazar Campos, Noraima Sosa, Ana
Jacinta Garrido, Toribia Ojeda, Olga María Álvarez de Tesara, Carmen Rufina Cabriles, Ivonne Josefina
Pirela Chacón, Maritza Romero, Ingrid Ortega Zapata, Judith Borjas, Deisy Crespo, Ybelice Altagracia
Ramírez, Juliana Quintana, Fredez Binda García Hernández, María Neria Guillén Pereira, Marisol
Montenegro Cordero, submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on April 5, 8, 10 and 11,
2002 by the representatives of the victims and of the next of kin.