The Chilean government affirmed yesterday that the statement by a Venezuelan newspaper about a alleged collaboration between authorities of both countries to kidnap a former Venezuelan military officer in Chilean territoryand ordered the Investigative Police (PDI) to form a special team that will work 24 hours a day, seven days a day to clarify the case.
“A total lie; “If you ask me how I rate that publication, it is a total lie,” said Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, in statements to journalists at the La Moneda presidential palace.
The Venezuelan newspaper La Razón published on Sunday that the Chilean government gave the “green light” to the Venezuelan government for the former lieutenant of the Venezuelan Army Ronald Ojeda was kidnapped last Wednesday in Santiago.
The newspaper maintained that the hypothetical agreement for the kidnapping of Ojeda was a consequence of a cooperation agreement signed last January between both governments in order to deepen the common fight against organized crime.
Monsalve replied: “Did we agree to commit a kidnapping and violate the country’s sovereignty? Did we agree on that? Let me tell you the absurdity of the theory.”
The official indicated that the agreement signed last month with Venezuela is part of the policy of the government of President Gabriel Boric of “contribute to the fight against organized crime” and “carry out expulsions” of foreign citizens who constitute “a risk to national security.”
“In this context we have carried out relations with other countries such as Bolivia, Peru and also the police collaboration agreement that we signed with Venezuela,” he stated.
“Do you think it makes sense to think that our police forces are collaborating in the commission of acts of this nature?” Monsalve questioned, adding: “Mr. Ojeda was in the particular immigration status given by this government and signed by this same undersecretary.“I ask you please to be responsible.”
Likewise, the Executive ordered the director of the PDI, Sergio Muñoz, to form a team that works 24 hours a day, seven days a week “solely focused on the case” of Ojeda.
“It is clear that the facts constituting the crime of kidnapping, where the beginning of the execution of the crimes was at the victim’s home, with firearms, constitute a undeniable attack on the sense of tranquility of a certain sector of the population“said the Ministry of the Interior in the note addressed to Muñoz, according to the Santiago newspaper La Tercera.
In the early hours of last Wednesday, Ojeda was taken from his home in Santiago by four men with Venezuelan accents and their faces covered. who identified themselves as members of the Chilean PDI, according to their family.
The kidnapping was confirmed hours later by Monsalve, after an urgent meeting with the Chancellor Alberto van Klaveren and the Ministers of the Interior, Carolina Toháand Justice, Luis Cordero, in La Moneda.
Former Venezuelan Army lieutenant Ronald Ojeda was kidnapped last Wednesday in Santiago, Chile.
“Do you think it makes sense to think that our police forces are collaborating in the commission of acts of this nature?”
said Chilean Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve.