This week, a couple of facts have completely gone unnoticed by the gay community: 1) the illegally imprisoned banker Eligio Cedeño was released and reportedly has already left Venezuela, and 2) the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that the case against Francisco Usón must be completely annulled.
These two events are significant as they both are influenced by the new justice administrator in Venezuela: Hugo Chávez. Rumor has it that Eligio Cedeño was imprisoned for having left Chávez’s daughter after a rather tumultuous romantic relationship. I visited Cedeño in El Helicoide back in September 2008. He stated then that he had surrendered because he had nothing to hide and was confident he could prove his innocence in court. However, he spent 34 months behind bars, on charges that were never disclosed in court, as authorities continuously delayed the trial, which has yet to even begin. This practice has already been condemned by the European Parliament. In light of his long and illegal imprisonment, Judge María Lourdes Afiuni released Cedeño. But following the law is not something Chávez tolerates, especially when it opposes his personal intentions. Now, Judge María Lourdes Afiuni has been detained, and Chávez has called for her to be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In contrast, Francisco Usón spent five and a half years in prison for expressing his opinion on a television program. He was tried and convicted by a military court on false charges. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that Usón’s case had no merit, that the military authorities involved had no jurisdiction, and, more importantly, found against Venezuela for violations of the principles of legality, due process, and freedom of expression. The Court also ordered the Venezuelan government to pay over $100,000 in damages to Usón. So, what are the chances that Chávez will actually enforce such a ruling?