ZULIA STUDENT LEADER MURDERED IN HAIL OF BULLETS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001404

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID/OTI (RPORTER)
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM VE
SUBJECT: ZULIA STUDENT LEADER MURDERED IN HAIL OF BULLETS

Classified By: Francisco Fernandez, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(d)


1. (C) Unknown gunmen shot and killed Julian Soto, a 31-year
old undergraduate and president of the Federation of
University Centers (FCU) for the autonomous University of
Zulia (LUZ) on October 1 as he drove to lunch. The
University Centers are influential student bodies in
Venezuela's five autonomous regional universities with
significant budgetary and spending authority. Soto was part
of the student movement that proved instrumental in defeating
Chavez' proposed constitutional reforms in December 2007.
The high visibility murder of Soto was not a robbery gone bad
although his death may intimidate other student leaders.
Given the amount of money the FCU has control over, this may
prove to simply be a bloody turf war. END SUMMARY.

IN THE LINE OF FIRE
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2. (SBU) Following an October 1 swearing in ceremony of new
rectors at LUZ in Maracaibo, Soto and four other students
were driving in a Chevy Trail Blazer when, according to media
reports, a taxi blocked their path and two men on a
motorcycle pulled up to Soto's car and opened fire. Two
additional gunmen from a blue SUV reportedly joined the
fusillade, shooting into the windshield at Soto. Student
Hernan Chirinos sitting in the front passenger position was
struck twice in the leg, but the three rear seat passengers
were unharmed. According to official police reports provided
to Poloff, 20 9mm shell casings were found at the crime
scene. According to some of the Embassy's Zulia contacts,
police are investigating Soto's involvement in a kickback
scheme over student bus passes valued at over USD 250,000.
Minister of Interior and Justice Tarek El-Aissami pledged a
thorough investigation.

STUDENT POWER
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3. (SBU) Venezuela's five autonomous universities are
training grounds for aspiring leaders from most of
Venezuela's political parties. The students elect the
president and other officers of the FCU in each university.
Although publicly funded, the universities operate
independently and student FCUs have wide budgetary and
spending influence. For example, one FCU member at the
Central University of Venezuela told us that she oversees the
provision of 9,000 free lunches every day. Many of these
same student leaders, such as Soto, were also responsible for
galvanizing the population to join the opposition in voting
down Chavez' reform package in December 2007. National
Assembly president Cilia Flores appealed that Soto's murder
not be politicized.


4. (C) COMMENT: At this point there is no evidence of direct
BRV involvement. Finding the truth will be difficult because
of Venezuela's incompetent and corrupt legal system. END
COMMENT.

CAULFIELD