A judicial resolution from the National Court of Spain reveals the presence of ETA and FARC in Venezuela, acting as a training ground and coordinating space for terrorist activities. An indictment dated March 7, 2011, implicates several individuals for collaborating with these terrorist groups, establishing their connection to the Chavist regime.
The document accuses a conspiracy to commit terrorist homicides, as well as possession of explosives. It details the training of conspiracy participants in the use of explosives and weapons, as well as in telecommunications and propaganda activities.
The accused allegedly traveled to Venezuela for these training processes, and the document establishes provisional imprisonment and international search warrants for some of those involved.
This case highlights the ability of ETA and FARC to operate and collaborate beyond their usual geographic boundaries, with Venezuela playing a key role as a refuge, training ground, and planning hub for joint terrorist activities.
The indictment from the Central Investigating Court Number 6 of the National Court in Case 75/09 (DP 263/08) details judicial actions against various individuals for terrorism-related crimes, specifically for collaboration with a terrorist armed band, possession of explosives, conspiracy for terrorist homicides, and integration into a terrorist organization.
The investigation reveals alleged collaboration between the terrorist organization ETA and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), including training in explosive handling, weapons, telecommunications, and planning terrorist actions with logistical support from Venezuela.
The primary accusation is the existence of a sustained and organized collaboration between ETA members and FARC guerrillas, manifested in the training of ETA members by FARC in camps located in Venezuela.
The document cites that Arturo Cubillas Fontán “maintained, at least between the years 2004 and 2008, constant, secure, and direct contact with the head of the terrorist organization ETA and various leaders of its active commands, with whom he coordinated and executed direct training tasks, improvements in weaponry and terrorist techniques, further providing the necessary infrastructure, which goes beyond mere collaboration to constitute integration into the ETA terrorist structure as its leader on the American continent from Venezuelan soil.”
Venezuela: A Training Ground for Terrorism
The judicial document indicates that several of the individuals charged received training in explosives, weapons, and terrorist tactics in FARC camps.
Among them is Ignacio Oláscoaga Mugica (@Valenciano), identified as one who “taught a course on explosives (TNT R1 C4), with special emphasis on fuses, initiators, projected bombs, sticky bombs, and vehicle and motorcycle bombs” to FARC members. He also took part in “a second course for FARC members, this time about kidnapping techniques.
Additionally, it is noted that José Lorenzo Ayestarán Legorburu (@ Bigotes) trained FARC guerrillas in 2006 on explosives and weaponry. He and Iurgi Mendinueta Mintegi attended a “long-range shooting course with telescopic sight and short weapon exercises” provided by FARC in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Remedios García Albert and Omar Arturo Zabala Padilla, members of FARC’s International Commission, “visited the camps of this terrorist organization, but did not participate in managing or organizing the courses on weaponry and explosives with ETA members that Arturo Cubillas facilitated; limiting their role to training in telecommunications use with FARC guerrillas, as well as propaganda, political indoctrination, creating materials for publishing on websites, reports, and the magazine Resistencia, alongside logistical support primarily from Spain.”
Venezuela as an Operations Base and Refuge
Similarly, the indictment notes that numerous processed ETA members traveled to Venezuela to receive instruction and meet with ETA and FARC contacts.
Cases include Juan Francisco Arratíbel Garciandía, who traveled to Venezuela and contacted brigades from ASKAPENA and Arturo Cubillas Fontán. Meanwhile, Iraitz Gesalaga Fernández and Francisco Javier López Peña (@ Thierry) traveled to Venezuela to “teach and make changes in the encryption program ppp that Arturo Cubillas Fontán used to communicate with ETA leadership.”
The document underscores that Venezuela served as a meeting point and operational base for these terrorist groups.
Financing and Logistics
The document also references that the collaboration included financial and logistical aspects to facilitate operations.
In this regard, it states that Mikel Kabikoitz Carrera Sarobe (@Ata) and Arturo Cubillas Fontán provided €2,000 to Javier Atristain Gorosabel and Juan Carlos Besance Zugasti to “cover travel expenses to Venezuela, with instructions and contacts there, for both to receive a course on explosives and weapons.”
There were mentions of money transfers and logistical support for ETA members in Venezuela, which included accommodation and sustenance. It references various logistical procedures to arrange meetings and coordinate activities in Venezuelan territory.
For instance, on September 11, 2008, Iraitz Gesalaga Fernández, with his partner at the time, Itxaso Urtiaga Valderrama—who was not actively involved in the faction—traveled for a month to Venezuela from Paris upon prior agreement with ETA’s leadership. Part of this time was spent traveling to the jungle from Chichiriviche, aiming to “help friends in the jungle,” referring to the FARC. There, he instructed them in radio systems, all under the tutelage and financing of Arturo Cubillas Fontán. He returned to France on October 14, 2008.
Evidence of the Facts
The accusations are based on various pieces of evidence, including:
- Statements from officers of the Civil Guard and National Police.
- Forensic computer analysis by Colombian police expert Freddy Bautista García.
- Copies of documents seized from Raúl Reyes’s computer.
- Testimonies from former FARC guerrillas (identified by their nicknames JUAN, WILSON, LINA, ADOLFO, ROSA, CÉSAR, RUBEN, and PATXO).
- Records of testimonies given by videoconference.
- Photographic recognitions and police statements.
- Stamps and travel records (BØR/SEJ) linking the accused to ETA and FARC.
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