Friday, May 26, 2017

Venezuela Prosecutor: Protest Victim Killed By National Guard

Juan Pablo Pernalete died of cardiogenic shock after being hit by an object in the chest. A number of government officials had said he had been killed by hooded men with a bolt gun. Venezuela has seen almost daily anti-government protests since April. The country's deepening economic and political crisis has led to triple-digit inflation, a high crime rate and clashes between protesters and security forces. In a news conference, Chief Prosecutor Luisa Ortega said witness statements and forensic evidence showed that Juan Pablo Pernalete had been hit by a tear gas canister. She said she hoped to be able to identify the officer who fired the canister "in the coming days". Firing tear gas canisters directly at protesters could be lethal and was banned by both international and national regulations, she said. More…

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