2010: The Terrorist Raul Diaz Fled to the United States and was Granted Asylum                     

On February 25, 2003 at 2AM, bombs exploded in Caracas near the embassy offices of Spain and Columbia. The interior of the Columbian consulate was 80% destroyed, while the building housing the Spanish technical cooperation mission suffered severe damage to its gate and exterior wall [1] The bombings caused considerable fear among the population of Caracas. Four people were injured. President Hugo Chavez argued that the bombings were meant to destabilize the government [4]

Three witnesses identified Raul Diaz, a student, as a planner of the bombings.[2] Explosive powder was found in his pickup truck. On February 24, 2004 Diaz was arrested and moved into pretrial detention.  Diaz was convicted of damaging public property and conspiracy on April 29, 2008.[2] He was sentenced to nine years and four months imprisonment and given credit for the years of pretrial detention. Diaz waived his right to appeal.

Beginning on May 13,2010, Diaz was allowed to leave the prison for work during the day. On September 5, 2010, he paid smugglers to take him to Trinidad and flew to the United States on September 10. Diaz was admitted to the United States with a visa which had been issued by the US Embassy in Caracas [3]

Diaz’s first public appearance after he fled Venezuela was with Republican congresswoman Eleana Ros-Lenhtinen in her Miami office. At a press conference, Ros-Lenhtinen stated that she had “worked tirelessly” for six years urging the US State Department and the OAS to take action to free Diaz. She called Diaz a “hero.” [3] Ros-Lenhtinen supported Diaz’s request for political asylum in the US. Diaz appeared in media interviews including on CNN, in which he claimed he had been “a political prisoner.” [4] The CNN interviewer wished Diaz “good luck.” [5]

The US denied Venezuela’s request to extradite him. In 2012, the US granted Diaz political asylum.[6]

 

1.     VOA, Venezuelan Authorities Search for Bombing Suspects, February 26, 2003

2.     Villa, Karina, Diaz Pena v. Venezuela, Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review, Volume 37, 2015

3.     Washington Post, Ros-Lehtinen Brings anti-communist fervor to once-staid committee, April 10, 2011

4.     Venezuelanalysis, U.S. Government and CNN Openly Protect and Support Venezuelan Terrorist, September 16, 2010

5.     Venezuelanalysis, US Media Intensifies Campaign Against Chavez, September 17, 2010

6.     VOA, The US grants asylum to a former Venezuelan political prisoner, October 10, 2012

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