BTN News: Venezuela’s Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, criticized the investigation into the murder of Ronald Ojeda, a Venezuelan dissident who had sought refuge in Chile. Saab’s comments followed the recent arrest of a suspect in Costa Rica, who authorities identified as a member of the notorious criminal gang, the Tren de Aragua. This case has not only shocked Chilean society but also strained diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Chile.
The troubling case began on February 21, when three individuals, posing as police officers, forcibly removed 32-year-old Ronald Ojeda from his residence in Santiago. Ojeda, an ex-lieutenant who had been granted asylum in Chile, was found dead ten days later, his body hidden beneath a concrete slab in a popular area of the city. This brutal murder quickly became a high-profile case, attracting significant media attention and public outcry.
One of the main suspects, Maickel Villegas, a 26-year-old Venezuelan, was apprehended in Costa Rica on Friday while attempting to cross into Panama. The Chilean authorities had issued an Interpol notice for his arrest, leading to his capture. This development has added a new layer of complexity to the already contentious investigation.
Saab took to social media platform X on Sunday to express his dissatisfaction with the Chilean authorities’ handling of the case. He accused them of creating a “false alibi” to deflect responsibility for what he described as a “vile crime” and criticized the investigation’s procedural quality. Saab’s comments were not well received by the Chilean government, which had previously issued a protest note in June, condemning his remarks as “unacceptable.”
Further complicating the issue, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, has repeatedly dismissed the existence of the Tren de Aragua as a “fiction created by international media.” He claimed that the gang was dismantled following a military operation at Tocorón prison, although its leaders, including Héctor Guerrero, known as “El Niño Guerrero,” escaped during the raid.
The United States Department of the Treasury recently imposed sanctions on the Tren de Aragua, labeling it a transnational criminal organization. The group has been linked to various criminal activities across several countries, including kidnappings, extortions, and human trafficking. The U.S. government has offered a $12 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the gang’s leaders.
In addition to Villegas, Chilean prosecutors have detained a 17-year-old Venezuelan minor with alleged criminal connections and Walter de Jesús RodrÃguez Pérez, another Venezuelan and purported member of the Tren de Aragua. RodrÃguez Pérez is currently under an international arrest warrant.
Despite the gravity of Saab’s accusations and the international implications of the case, the Chilean government has yet to issue a formal response to his latest statements.
This high-profile case continues to unfold, with implications that stretch beyond the borders of both Venezuela and Chile, highlighting the ongoing struggle against organized crime in the region. The international community watches closely as authorities work to bring those responsible to justice and address the broader issues of crime and corruption.
