Case History: Víctor Martínez
On 23 January 2012, human rights defender Mr Víctor Martínez was the victim of an assassination attempt at his home in the west of Barquisimeto, Lara.
Víctor Martínez is a human rights defender who collaborates with the Comité de Víctimas contra la Impunidad del estado de Lara – COVICIL (Committee of Victims Against Impunity in the state of Lara) and has regularly appeared on radio and television programmes denouncing police and military involvement in human rights violations, including extortion, kidnapping and trafficking of narcotics, as well as the presence of death squads in the state. He is also a former Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the state of Lara.
On 23 January 2012, human rights defender Mr Víctor Martínez was the victim of an assassination attempt at his home in the west of Barquisimeto, Lara.
Víctor Martínez is a human rights defender who collaborates with the Comité de Víctimas contra la Impunidad del estado de Lara – COVICIL (Committee of Victims Against Impunity in the state of Lara) and has regularly appeared on radio and television programmes denouncing police and military involvement in human rights violations, including extortion, kidnapping and trafficking of narcotics, as well as the presence of death squads in the state.
He is also a former Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the state of Lara.
On 23 January 2012, at approximately 4:00 pm, Víctor Martínez arrived at his home, accompanied by his daughter, when they were approached by an unidentified individual who proceeded to point a gun at them and order them into the house. Víctor Martínez responded by shouting at his daughter to hide in the house and then pushed the attacker so that he could run out to the public walkway to seek help. A black van drove past and the attacker got in and escaped.
During the whole incident Víctor Martínez's car was sitting open with the keys in the ignition and at no point did the assailant attempt to steal it, which would appear to reinforce the hypothesis that it was not a common robbery.
On 26 November 2009 Víctor Martínez's son, Mijail Martínez, was shot dead at his home as he worked on a documentary about victims of human rights violations committed by police officers. He was working as an audio visual producer for the COVICIL. It was reported that the unknown perpetrators had asked to speak to his father before killing him.
In July 2010 Víctor Martínez was reportedly attacked by a member of the military as he distributed flyers in Barquisimeto in which he denounced the murder of his son and the alleged involvement of police and local officials in that killing. The complaint of the alleged attack was never investigated, yet proceedings are currently being brought against Víctor Martínez for attacking an official.
Front Line Defenders is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Víctor Martínez, his family, and other human rights defenders working to promote and protect human rights in Venezuela, in particular those documenting police and military involvement in human rights violations.
