Bush and Chavez judicial tactics

In a moment or rare evil serendipity we find an editorial of the New York Times about the judicial fraud operated at Guantanamo and the judicial fraud that is operating on the same lines in the Simonovis et al. trial in Venezuela.

In short, the US set special courts in Guantanamo who are operating on the premise of "guilty as ordered", including possible release of verdicts according to the electoral timetable. I am not saying it it, it comes with the unusual lengthy NYT editorial. Read it.

In Venezuela the trial of Vivas, Simonovis and Forero has been suspended yesterday once again on the flimsiest of excuses. The prosecution which apparently has failed to make its case is now demanding, who knows for how many weeks, the revision of EVERY piece in the overwhelming dossier. Overwhelming by its bulk, not by its proofs otherwise the accused would have been condemned long ago. The state prosecution calls "grave" error that in a given piece an insignificant comment from lawyer X was not duly written, justifying their need to review all. As if this would be crucial for the case as it is already clear that neither the weapons held by the accused are linked to the deaths on trial, nor it has been possible to demonstrate that they gave such orders. It is eerily like what was done by Clodosvaldo Ruffian in the banning because some administrative forms were not followed. See, in the bolivarian revolution it is OK to steal gazillions as long as you fill up the adequate paperwork. And I am not starting on when it is OK to kill....

For those late in the game, Forero et al., are the only folks on trial for the events of 2002. Yes, that is right, even though there is no proof against them, which is why that the trial has lasted nearly three years with them being detained in conditions that violate their human rights. On the other hands the guys who were shown gun in hands shooting the crowd and the cops from the privileged and safe position of a high bridge are running around free, as hero of the revolution, though in their personal lives they have proven long ago that they are scum.

So, why yet a new delay? For electoral reasons of course. Since they cannot prove their guilt, the chavista prosecutors will wait for after the election to finally allow an innocent verdict, or at least a very mild one. Just as the Bush administration made all its efforts to make sure that Gitmo delivers guilty verdicts when appropriate.

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