Fernando Albán Salazar

Fernando Albán Salazar

Libertador Bolivarian Municipality Councilman
In office
16 December 2012 – 8 October 2018
Personal details
Born Fernando Alberto Albán Salazar
(1962-10-01)1 October 1962
Died 8 October 2018(2018-10-08) (aged 56)
Caracas, Venezuela
Political party Justice First
Alma mater Central University of Venezuela

Fernando Alberto Albán Salazar (1 October 1962 – 8 October 2018) was a Venezuelan activist, lawyer, politician, and prominent figure within the Justice First opposition party. Albán served as a councilman of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas from 2012 until his death in office in 2018. He died while he was detained in the headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) in Plaza Venezuela. Although government officials reported his death as a suicide, his friends, family, opposition political parties and Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, argue that the councilor's death was murder.[1][2][3]

Career

Albán, a lawyer who specialized in labor law, received his law degree from Central University of Venezuela.[4]

Albán served as the national secretary of the Justice First trade union association.[4]

Fernando Albán Salazar was elected to the Capital District's Libertador Bolivarian Municipality council in the 2012 regional elections. Albán, who represented Circuit 3 on the council, won the election with 6,170 votes.[4]

Personal life

Fernando Albán was a devout Catholic. During his memorial, his sister placed a portrait of him shadowed in the face of Jesus on his coffin. His faith is also cited by friends, colleagues, and the conference of Catholic bishops of Venezuela as a reason to not believe the official story regarding his death, because he had too much respect for God to consider taking his own life.[5]

Arrest

Albán traveled to New York City, USA, for the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, as part of a Justice First opposition delegation led by Julio Borges. Albán, Borges, and other members of the delegation had meetings with foreign dignitaries and other groups attending the assembly.[3] Albán was detained by Venezuelan authorities at Simón Bolívar International Airport on Friday, 5 October 2018, upon his return to the country.[3] No reason for his arrest was given, and no details of where he was being held, until after his death.[6]

Albán experienced pressure from the Maduro government over the weekend he was detained to testify against Borges in regards to the drone attack, but he refused, and told this to his family and lawyers when they spoke on the Sunday.[7][8]

Death

Hearse carrying Fernando Albán's remains

Albán was taken into SEBIN custody after his arrest, and was said to be a suspect for the Caracas drone attack that had occurred two months earlier. He was seen by lawyer Joel García on Sunday after his arrest on Friday, but was reported dead on Monday, 8 October. The government claims that he took his own life by jumping from a tenth floor window either whilst he was waiting to be transferred (Interior Minister Néstor Reverol's account) or whilst going to the bathroom (Saab's account)[9][10] at around midday;[10] this narrative is widely disputed.[11] Efecto Cocuyo notes the differences in official stories, and also quotes reliable sources in former SEBIN prisoners explaining that detainees are always escorted to the bathroom, opening further doubts, as the bathroom version was the first explanation given.[10] His death, called murder by many, prompted riots across Venezuela and received worldwide media attention.[11][1]

The United Nations have also suggested that the Venezuelan government and intelligence service can be held responsible regardless of how Albán died, as officials are "obligated to ensure Albán’s safety while in their custody".[11] Article 44 of the Constitution of Venezuela says that the State is responsible for protecting the lives of its prisoners.[10]

A memorial was held at the National Assembly building the day after his death; his body was immediately released but contained within a flag-draped coffin.[7] He was buried on Wednesday, 10 October.[12]

Investigations

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that it would open its own investigation into Albán's death and called for fully transparent proceedings from Venezuela.[11] The European Union also asked for an independent investigation.[12] Tarek William Saab, Venezuelan prosecutor general, said that he would investigate the death, but classified it as a suicide. García pointed out in response that a death can not be classified as suicide without an autopsy and investigation already having taken place, and requested to be present at the autopsy.[11] García was not present at a secret autopsy supposedly performed shortly before burial; Saab announced the findings of this autopsy to say that Albán died of blunt force trauma.[12]

France also called for an investigation into the "suspicious" death and summoned the Venezuelan ambassador to the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs on Thursday, 11 October.[13][14] Spain took similar actions, questioning the Venezuelan ambassador in Madrid.[7]

Responses

Torture claims

With his body concealed, the public became concerned that Albán had been tortured, which was supported by claims from the Venezuelan opposition government, including Borges directly. A riot was held outside the city mortuary for the release of his body, with fears he would be cremated before anyone could examine it.[7]

Venezuelan opposition deputy Juan Miguel Matheus gave a speech in which he described the torture of Albán, saying that he would have been electrocuted and asphyxiated.[15]

The United States has also said it believes Albán was tortured then killed.[12] Several sources suggest that multiple foreign countries have openly accused the Maduro regime of torturing Albán.[7][11][12][5]

Saab denied all claims of torture, calling them a "rotten lie".[16]

Protests

Candlelight protests and vigils were held in Caracas, particularly outside the SEBIN buildings, as public memorials and to denounce that this kind of murder could happen.[9]

Supporters marched across Caracas in Albán's funeral procession, with some being photographed holding up signs with the Yo Me Niego A Rendirme slogan.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Así titularon medios internacionales la muerte de Fernando Albán". El Nacional. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Las reacciones por la muerte del concejal venezolano, Fernando Albán". El Espectador. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Smith, Scott; Sanchez, Fabiola (2018-10-08). "Venezuela: Caracas opposition councilman dies in jail". Associated Press. Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  4. 1 2 3 "Conozca la historia de vida del concejal y abogado Fernando Albán Salazar". El Carabobeño. 2018-10-10. Archived from the original on 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  5. 1 2 "A Venezuelan Dissident Dies in Custody, and Questions Emerge". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  6. ↑ Gibbs, Stephen (2018-10-10). "Maduro critic Fernando Albán falls to death from 10th floor". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Venezuela's Leadership Condemned After Dissident's Death". Time. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  8. ↑ "A Fernando Albán lo presionaron para acusar a Julio Borges, afirma uno de sus abogados - Efecto Cocuyo". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  9. 1 2 "Drone attack suspect 'jumped to his death'". BBC News. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Conozca las 10 claves de la muerte del concejal Fernando Albán". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Caracas, Associated Press in (2018-10-09). "Fernando Albán: UN to investigate death in custody of Venezuelan politician". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "US accuses Venezuela spies of 'involvement' in suspicious death". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  13. ↑ Press, Associated. "France Summons Venezuela Ambassador Over 'Suspicious' Death". VOA. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  14. ↑ l, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères. "Venezuela - Summoning of the Venezuelan Ambassador to France to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (11.10.2018)". France Diplomatie :: Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  15. ↑ "Fernando Albán fue torturado con asfixia y electricidad, denunció diputado Juan Miguel Matheus - Efecto Cocuyo". Efecto Cocuyo (in Spanish). 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  16. 1 2 "Venezuela Draws Condemnation Over Opposition Councilman's Death". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2018-10-13.
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