Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04CARACAS1534
2004-05-10 23:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

SECOND SOLDIER DIES OF BURNS FROM FORT FIRE

Tags:  PHUM PGOV VE 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001534 

SIPDIS


NSC FOR CBARTON
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD
USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2013
TAGS: PHUM PGOV VE
SUBJECT: SECOND SOLDIER DIES OF BURNS FROM FORT FIRE

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D)

-------
SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001534

SIPDIS


NSC FOR CBARTON
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD
USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2013
TAGS: PHUM PGOV VE
SUBJECT: SECOND SOLDIER DIES OF BURNS FROM FORT FIRE

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B
) AND (D)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) The Attorney General's Office announced May 5 that a
civilian court will take over the case of an army fort fire
in Zulia State that resulted in six injuries and two deaths.
On May 4, Angel Pedreanez became the second soldier to die
after being severely burned in a Fort Mara confinement cell
March 30. The first soldier, Orlando Bustamante, died of
burn injuries April 4. (Information Minister Jesse Chacon
offered his resignation April 5 after Bustamante's death, but
President Chavez refused it.) Relatives of the soldiers and
opponents of Chavez accused the GOV of failing to investigate
the incident properly and covering up for the military.
Pedreanez' parents claim that their son was murdered, while
conflicting accounts of the events have become political
fodder for both GOV opponents and supporters. Investigations
of the incident continue. End Summary.

--------------
CIVILIAN JURISDICTION
--------------


2. (U) The Attorney General's Office announced May 5 that a
civilian court will take over the case of an army fort fire
in Zulia State that resulted in six injuries and two deaths
March 30. Zulia State Attorney General Mariangela Canga told
reporters that she had seized records concerning one of the
deceased soldiers, Angel Pedreanez, and had ordered two
prosecutors to take over the investigation from the military
tribunal that had been overseeing the case. Canga charged
that the military tribunal had effectively frozen the
investigation.


3. (U) On May 4, Venezuelan soldier Angel Pedreanez died, 35
days after he and seven other soldiers were severely injured
in the army barracks fire. The eight were confined in a
punishment cell on Fort Mara. Though still listed in
critical condition, Pedreanez was slowly recovering and had
spoken for the first time April 30 after being taken off a
respirator. Hospital Director Crispin Marin told the press
that Pedreanez died of cardiac arrest during reconstructive
surgery. "I never said he was out of danger," Marin said.
"I am very careful about such things until the patient leaves

the hospital."


4. (U) Fellow soldier Orlando Bustamante died of burn
injuries April 4, the same day that President Chavez mocked
opposition criticism over the handling of the incident.
Chavez told his audience that the soldiers had only suffered
light burns. Information Minister Jesse Chacon offered his
resignation at the time, saying he had misinformed the
president on the severity of the soldiers' injuries, but
Chavez refused it, saying he was responsible for not checking
the information.

--------------
THE PLOT THICKENS
--------------


5. (U) Discussing the incident in an April 1 press interview,
Gen. Carlos Briceno, Commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade,
said the soldiers had been confined to the disciplinary cell
for various military infractions. He also denied that the
fire was anything but accidental. "The Democratic
Coordinator (CD) is saying these guys were injured because
their families signed the petition (against Chavez),that
someone threw gasoline in the cell and burned them
intentionally...they are creating false rumors." Vice
President Rangel said April 2 that none of the soldiers had
signed against the president, and that competent authorities
had already determined that no gasoline had been used to set
the fire.


6. (C) Military sources first told reporters that the fire
started when one of the soldiers fell asleep while smoking.
The director of army intelligence told DAO shortly after the
incident "not to believe anything in the press" about the
fire, and that a full investigation is underway. Eddie Rios,
a pro-GOV member of the special investigative commission

appointed by the National Assembly to look into the matter,
shared a recording with the press April 2 in which two of the
victims blamed Pedreanez for starting the fire by smoking in
bed. Jesus Carrillo, an opposition member of the special
investigative commission, asserted in an April 2 press
interview that Rios reached a verdict without having fully
investigated the incident. Referring to Rios' recording,
Carrillo asks, "How could these soldiers who were asleep be
witnesses to the moment when Pedreanez started the fire?"


7. (U) During a May 4 press conference, Pedreanez' distraught
parents expressed rage and bewilderment. Claiming that their
son had been murdered, they blamed the government and charged
that members of the military had entered the hospital room
surreptitiously and killed him. Hospital Director Marin
disagreed that anyone could have entered unauthorized, saying
that the hospital had maintained strict security outside
Pedreanez' room.

--------------
MOD STATEMENTS
--------------


8. (U) Defense Minister Gen. Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro
pleaded with the press May 4 to refrain from speculating over
the causes of the fire and deaths while the investigation
continues. Garcia Carneiro also expressed condolences to the
Pedreanez family, offered them full support for any action
they wish to take on their son's behalf, and assured them
that the armed forces would not object if they want the case
placed under civilian jurisdiction. The National Assembly's
Defense Commission approved a plan to reconstruct the case
events, and Eddie Rios of the special investigative
commission said the investigation will remain open until the
cause of the fire has been determined.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) Defense Minister Gen. Garcia Carneiro's response to
the Pedreanez family contrasts with the military's initial
reaction not only to this case, but also to several other
recent suspicious death cases. The military has a long
history of tolerating abusive behavior among its own and then
closing ranks when confronted by civilians. This strategy's
short-term effect should make it easier to diminish
opposition efforts to use military abuse cases as political
tools. Another area of concern, however, is how the
Pedreanez incident will affect Chavez' standing with the
troops. After the first death, Chavez sought to blunt
criticism, taking the blame upon himself and shielding his
officers. He also went personally to Fort Mara to
demonstrate his concern. Now that a second soldier has died,
a second similar performance may not be as convincing. We do
not yet have a good sense of how Chavez will handle the
matter or what the repercussions will be in the military.
For their part, Chavez opponents will not cease to use the
Pedreanez incident to heap shame on the government.
SHAPIRO


NNNN

2004CARACA01534 - CONFIDENTIAL