Supreme Tribunal throws out corruption charges filed against President Chavez Frias

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2003 By: David Coleman

Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) Constitutional Chamber has just ruled that complaints filed against President Hugo Chavez Frias alleging corruption with funds from the Monetary Stabilization Fund (FIEM) and Concertina (illegal Presidential campaign funding from Spain's Banco Bilbao Viscaya) should be set aside as unsubstantiated.

According to Chief Justice Ivan Rincon, the ruling by 20 top judges was 19 in favor of acquittal and 1 vote reserved.

Complaints against the President had been raised by National Assembly (AN) deputies Elias Matta, Enrique Marquez and Alejandro Armas who had accused the Head of State of malfeasance of financial resources properly belonging to FIEM.  The TSJ Court of Substantiation had earlier said there was no case to answer, whereupon an appeal was launched to the Constitutional Chamber in plenary session.  A similar ruling was handed down in the complaint raised by Constitutional lawyer Tulio Alvarez that the President had received undeclared Presidential election campaign funds from Spain's Banco Bilbao Viscaya.

At the same sitting of the nation's top-20 judges, Magistrate Alejandro Angulo Fontiveros was authorized to proceed in the trial of National Guard (GN) Brigadier General Carlos Alfonzo Martinez after the TSJ found sufficient cause to try him for exciting to rebellion, disobeying special security regulations and for having abandoned his command.  Authorization was given on the basis of a 12-8 vote to proceed under Article 373 of the Organic Penal Process Code.  Magistrate Angulo Fontiveros has been given 10-15 days to bring the case to oral hearing.  The Prosecutor General's Office must bring specific charges against Alfonzo Martinez within the next five days.