US embassy cable - 04CARACAS1534

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) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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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. 
 
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CIVILIAN JURISDICTION 
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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. 
 
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THE PLOT THICKENS 
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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. 
 
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MOD STATEMENTS 
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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. 
 
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COMMENT 
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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 
 
 
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      2004CARACA01534 - CONFIDENTIAL