2003: Terrorist Bombings in Caracas, Two Soldiers were
Charged; They were granted Asylum in the U.S.
2026: One of the Soldiers was Deported from the U.S.
In Plaza Altamira in Eastern Caracas on October 22, 2002,
fourteen Venezuelan military officers spoke out against the government of Hugo
Chavez and demanded his resignation. They declared the Plaza a “liberated
zone.” At least 102 more military personnel joined the group.1000s of
opposition supporters attended nightly demonstrations and speeches. President
Chavez let the protests continue without repression. After several months the
protests ran out of momentum and ceased in early 2003.
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 Chavez argued that the bombings were meant to
destabilize the government.
Silvio
Merida had operated the sound system during the protests at Altamira Square. He
was tried and sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison for his role
in the bombings. National Guard Lieutenants, Jose Antonio Colina and German
Varela Lopez were among the soldiers who occupied Altamira Square [2]. In a written statement before Judge
Deyanira Nieves, Merida stated that Colina set off the bomb at the Columbian
Consulate while Varela set off the bomb at the Spanish Mission Building. Judge
Nieves issued arrest warrants for Colina and Varela on November 14, 2003.[3]
Colina and Varela fled to Miami with tourist visas on a
flight from Bogata, Columbia on December 19,2003. They were taken into custody
by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers (ICE) and taken to the Krome
Detention Center in Miami. Both applied for political asylum because they
claimed that they would be executed or tortured if returned to Venezuela. [4] In
February 2005, a U.S. immigration judge denied them asylum because of “serious
reasons for believing” that they were involved in the bombings. However, the
judge prohibited the U.S. from deporting them to Venezuela because of the
likelihood of being tortured.[4] The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
asked an immigration appeals court to deport Colina and Varela, arguing that
they would not be tortured if returned. As evidence, they cited the treatment
of a former general arrested in Venezuela for the same case. [4] In April 2006,
ICE reversed its stance on the deportation case and joined with the attorneys
for Colina and Varela in filing a joint motion asking the immigration appeals
court to dismiss the case. After the dismissal, Colina and Varela were released.
The US government granted them asylum due to the concern that they would be
tortured if they were deported to Venezuela.
In 2008 in Miami, Colina founded a
non-profit organization Veppex, whose purpose is to assist Venezuelan political
exiles coming to the United States. He became a political analyst participating
in more than a thousand interviews, denouncing the Venezuelan government.
Varela lived in Memphis, had a Family and raised three sons. Varela made
regular immigration status visits to ICE offices for twenty years. On November
16, 2025 during a routine immigration status visit, Varela was arrested by ICE.
His claim of U.S. Protection against Torture Status was ignored. Varela was
deported to Mexico on February 16, 2026.
1. VOA, Venezuelan Authorities Search
for Bombing Suspects, February 26, 2003
2. New York Times, Venezuelans Asking
the U.S. to Extradite 2, January 29, 2004.
3. Venezuelanalysis, Venezuelan
Anti-Chavez Terrorist Suspects File for US Political Asylum, December 27,
2003.
4. Sullivan, M and N. Olhero, Venezuela:
Political Conditions and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service,
9/4/2007
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