Recently, a stigmatization campaign against Professor Keymer Ávila has been initiated from Ciudad CCS, a media outlet of Caracas mayoralty, with unfounded accusations that seek to discredit and criminalize the results of independent investigations on topics of very high importance for Latin American countries. This situation has also happened on previous occasions with organizations that have denounced the systematic violation of the Right to Life and Personal Integrity in working-class neighborhoods.
These campaigns resort to the most elementary argumentative fallacy: seek to discredit the messenger to evade the debate on fundamental issues and try to obscure the blunt truth that the message brings.
Faced with this attack, we, researchers and academics from various areas, revindicate and defend the protection of one of the foundations of our vocation and job: the scientific construction of data, inputs, and evidence that contribute to debates for the construction of the common good. We highlight the recognized professional career of Professor Keymer Ávila and join the clamor of the different organizations of various political tendencies that denounce the systematic abuses of the lethal force of which the working-class neighborhoods have been victims in recent years.
We point out:
Nothing is said in this campaign about the fact that since 2015, when the National Police’s Special Action Forces (FAES) was created and followed by the deployment of militarized operations known as the “People’s Liberation Operations” -OLP-, the government has deployed an extrajudicial killings policy towards the most impoverished and vulnerable areas of the country.
Official figures published by the Minister of Internal Relations, Néstor Reverol, reveal a significant increase in cases of violent deaths registered under the category Resistance to the Authority, or failure to obey the orders of a law enforcement officer, accounting for more than four thousand nine hundred per year since 2016. The magnitude of the increase, and the field research carried out by different organizations and researchers, has served as a basis to show that extrajudicial execution has become a state practice directed towards the poor population and, especially, towards the young men of working-class neighborhoods.
In the experience of those who have been victims of police operations, the excessive violence to which the communities, families, mothers, daughters, and sons of the murdered youths are exposed stands out. Added to this is the fact that the Venezuelan State has been responsible for refusing this reality and, in consequence, has not assumed the reparation and restitution of rights of those affected by the “hard hand” policies.
The report of the “Monitor of the use of lethal force in Latin America”, which is one of the targets attacked by the campaign we denounce, is an initiative of renowned researchers and academics from Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Brazil, and Venezuela. The chapter on the latter country was in charge of Professor Keymer Ávila. In the aforementioned investigation, a set of indicators is drawn up from two sources: the first one is constituted by the official data published by the Ministry of Interior that allow estimating the magnitudes of the investigated phenomenon. The second is constituted by a systematic survey carried out by the researcher, of a corpus of cases from secondary sources, which – both for its size and for its consistency with official sources – is within the standard methodological parameters used in the social sciences for the estimation of the different proportions presented in the indicators.
Hence its scientific validity is more than proven. Keymer Ávila is a pre and postgraduate professor at Universidad Central de Venezuela (Venezuela’s Central University) and a researcher at the Institute of Criminal Sciences in the same alma mater. He has numerous publications, both in scientific journals and in mainstream media. He has also been an advisor to the Prosecutor’s Office and the General Council of the Police, as well as to various national and international NGOs, in the field of human rights.
We believe that the production of evidence-based knowledge, as well as its dissemination, are indispensable to face the threats that the Latin American context currently faces, where people demand a substantial transformation of their political and institutional systems, which results in greater democracy and the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
May this statement be useful in showing the support that Professor Ávila’s work has, which we extend to all social sectors that want to make it their own. Those who try to attack the findings that derive from their research do not harm the university or the social organizations that converge in making visible the institutional atrocity. They do serious damage to the country, the poor people, all the people and communities that they have been victims of extermination practices carried out by the repressive bodies of the State. Rather than “defend” a country project, these attacks only legitimize, strengthen and become accomplices with the mass production of violent deaths in Venezuela, as well as the deep pain and chain of duels to which thousands of Venezuelans are subjected.
We urge the establishment of a serious and in-depth debate on the deaths perpetrated by the State as well as the need to establish mechanisms for access to truth and reparation for victims. Our support goes to all those who work and fight for documenting, denouncing and resisting the wave of lethal institutional violence. Finally, all our solidarity and special support for the survivors and the mothers and relatives of victims who have been reaped by the state machinery.
First signatures:
1. Verónica Zubillaga, Sociologist, Professor at Universidad Simón Bolívar(USB).
2. Edgardo Lander, Retired Head Professor at Universidad Central de Venezuela(UCV).
3. Manuel Llorens, Professor at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB), member of Red de Activismo e Investigación por la Convivencia (REACIN).
4. Andrés Antillano, Instituto de Ciencias Penales, UCV.
5. Héctor Silveira, Law Philosophy Professor, Universitat de Barcelona (UB).
6. Iñaki Rivera Beiras, Professor , UB. Director, Observatorio del Sistema Penal y los Derechos Humanos (OSPDH) at UB.
7. Ignacio Anitua, Criminal Law and Criminal Policy Professor, UNPAZ-Universidadde Buenos Aires (UBA).
8. Máximo Sozzo, Sociology and Criminology Professor at Universidad Nacional del Litoral.
9. Luis Duno-Gottberg, Professor and Department Chair, Rice University.
10. Chelina Sepúlveda, Professor/ Researcher.
11. Livia Vargas-González, Professor, School of Sociology at UCV / doutoranda em História pela Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP) Brazil.
12. Ignacio Cano, Profesor, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ-Brazil).
13. Doriam Borges, Professor, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ-Brazil).
14. Carlos Silva Forné, Instituto de Investigaciones Jurídicas de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (IIJ-UNAM).
15. Catalina Pérez Correa, Research Professor, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE).
16. Roberto Briceño-León, PHD, Colégio de Estudos Avançados, Universidade Federal de Ceará, Laboratorio de Ciencias Sociales, LACSO.
17. Gabriel Kessler, Conicet-Universidad Nacional de San Martín.
18. José Peña Solís, Administrative Law Professor, UCV.
19. Jorge Rossell Senhenn, Professor, UPEL, Post-Graduate Studies Professor at several universities. Former president, Supreme Court of Justice’s Chamber of Criminal Cassation.
20. Alexis Romero Salazar, Retired Head Professor, Universidad de Zulia.
21. Giuseppe Cocco, Professor, Universidad Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
22. Roberto Manuel Carlés, Teacher, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Secretary, Asociación Latinoamericana de Derecho Penal y Criminología (ALPEC).
23. Adrián Torres Marcano, Communication Theory Professor, School of Education,
UCV.
24. Oly Millán, Economist, Master in History, Professor UCV.
25. David Smilde, Sociology Professor, Tulane University.
26. Rogelio Pérez Perdomo, Professor, Legal Studies Department, Universidad Metropolitana (UNIMET).
27. Tosca Hernández, Retired Head Professor, UCV.
28. Alejandro Velasco, Historian. Profesor, Nueva York University (NYU), Edito, NACLA Report on the Americas.
29. Emiliano Teran Mantovani, Observatory of Political Ecology of Venezuela, Universidad
Autónoma de Barcelona.
30. Fernando Tenorio, Professor and President of the Mexican Academy of Criminology.
31. Margarita López Maya, Retired Professor- Head Researcher, UCV, and member to The Center of Political Studies, UCAB.
32. Francisco Paz Yanastacio, Director, School of Laws, Faculty of Political and Legal Sciencies, UCV.
33. Alberto Barrera Tyszka.
34. Pablo Stefanoni, CeDInCI, Argentina.
35. Alejandro Forero Cuéllar, OSPDH, UB.
36. Camilo Bernal, Teacher – Researcher, Universidad Santo Tomás.
37. Julio César Fernández Toro, Professor, School of Political and Administrative Studies, UCV.
38. Magdalena López, Kellogg Institute – Centro de Estudos Internacionais, ISCTE-IUL.
39. Carmen Antony, Criminology Professor, Universidad de Panamá.
40. Daniel Castro-Aniyar, Titular Professor on Criminology and Research, ULEAM (Ecuador).
41. Germán Aller, Criminal Law Teacher and Director of the Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology at the Faculty of Law, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
42. Jeannette Aguilar, Public order and Violence Research, El Salvador.
43. Jacqueline Richter, Full-time Head Professor, UCV.
44. Antulio Rosales, Postdoctoral Fellow, Oslo University.
45. Vicente Lecuna, John Jay College, CUNY.
46. Francisco Sánchez, Profesor de la UCAB, member of REACIN.
47. Guillermo Sardi, Professor-Researcher de la Padre Luis Azagra Psychology Unit, UCAB.
48. Santiago Arconada, Activist and member of the Platform for the Defense of the Constitution.
49. Delio Dante López Medrano, Postgraduate Law Professor, UNAM.
50. Manuel Sutherland, Director, Centro de Investigación y Formación Obrera (CIFO).
51. José Luis Fernández Shaw, Sociólogist.
52. Carlos Alzualde, Professor, UCAB.
53. Rhina Josefina Pérez Bello, Statistician.
54. Anais López, Sociologist/Researcher.
55. Patricia Parra Hurtado, Political Scientist, UCV. Master in Criminology and Criminal Legal Sociology,UB.
56. Vera Sanoja, Sociologist, UCV.
57. Francisco Javier Velasco Páez, Doctor in Development Studies, en Estudios del Desarrollo, Observatory of Political Ecology of Venezuela, CENDES/UCV.
58. Ángel Arias, Sociólogo, Columnist, Ideas de Izquierda Ve.
59. Martha Lucia Márquez, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
60. Gabriela Rodríguez Fernández, Conflict Resolution and Criminal Systema Field Manager, UB.
61. Juan Luis Sosa, Lawyer, expert in constitutional law, Ph.D. candidate, Universidad de Valencia, España.
62. Pablo Quintero, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
63. Mila Ivanovic, Political Scientist, PhD, Francia.
64. Fabrice Andréani, Doctorant, Université Lumière Lyon 2 (Triangle).
65. Alejandro Alagia, Head Professor, UBA.
66. León Arismendi, Labor Law Professor, School of Laws, Faculty of Legal and Political Sciences, UCV.
67. Guillermo Tell Aveledo Coll, Dean, Faculty of Legal and Political Studies, UNIMET.
68. Francesca Gargallo Celentani, Writer and feminist.
69. Moisés A. Durán, Sociologist, UCV.
70. Paula Poncioni, Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
71. Jeudiel Martinez, Sociologist, UCV.
72. Pablo Glanc, Doctor of Law, UBA.
73. Héctor Chincoya, Professor, Faculty of Criminology de la Facultad, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala.
74. Manuel Tufró, Researcher, Faculty of Social Sciences, UBA, and Center of Legal and Social Studies (CELS).
75. Mónica Aranda, Professor, Departament de Dret Penal i Criminología, UB.
76. Laura Rodríguez Avalos, Projects coordinator and Researcher.
77. Carmen Luisa Roche, Retired Legal Sociology Professor, UCV.
78. Mía Dragnic, Sociologist and Ph.D. candidate of Latin American Studies, Universidad de Chile.
79. Manuel Azuaje Reverón, Philosopher, UCV and independent researcher.
80. Emiliano Rojido, Researcher, Laboratório de Análise da Violência de Universidade do
Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Center for the Analysis of Criminality and Violence, Universidad de la República (Uruguay).
81. César Bencomo, Professor, Faculty of Health and Human Development, Universidad Bicentenaria de Aragua.
82. Miguel Monaco, Professor, UCAB.
83. Yaneira Wilson Wetter, Ph.D. candidate, Paris X University. Associate Professor, Lille 2 University and School of Architecture, Villette.
84. Carlos Colmenares Gil, Ph.D. candidate University of California – Irvine.
85. Martín La Roche, Associate Professor, Harvard School of Medicine.
86. Larissa de Assis Pimenta Rodrigues, Mestra em história pela UFOP e Doutoranda em História pela UFMG.
87. Julián Martínez Santana, Teacher, Universidad de las Artes del Ecuador.
88. Mikahael Iglesias, Professor, UCAB. Ongoing master studies, NYU.
89. Juan García Viloria, Member, Plataforma Ciudadana en Defensa de la Constitución, Co-founder, aporrea.org website.
90. Vivian Khendari, MA, Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Psychology, The New School, NY.
91. Cristal Palacios, Ph.D. candidate, Ulster University, United Kingdom.
92. Pedro E. Rodríguez, Professor-Researcher, Universidad del Valle, Colombia.
93. Ignacio Cardona, Researcher, Harvard Graduate School of Design.
94. Carolina Izquiel, Clinical Psychologist, UCAB, Research Assistant – Boston College.
95. Erick Kluck, Pós doutorando no Departamento de Geografia da Universidade de São Paulo (USP).
96. Mathilde Allain, researcher CREDA Université Sorbonne Paris 3.
97. Masaya Llavaneras Blanco, PGD, Independent Venezuela Researcher.
98. Serge Ollivier, Historian, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
99. Alexandra Téllez, Lawyer, LL.M Goethe Universität, Frankfurt, Alemania.
100. Hermes Ramírez Avila, Director, trainning center, Colegio de Abogados de
Honduras.
101. José Héctor Carreón Herrera, General Director, Instituto de Estudios del Proceso
Penal Acusatorio, Mexico.
102. Omar Gabriel Vazquez Heredia, Ph.D. in Social Sciences, UBA, and Professor, School of Sociology, UCV.
103. Julita Lemgruber, Coordenadora, Centro de Estudos de Segurança e Cidadania,
Universidade Candido Mendes.
104. Liliana Mendoza Ortiz, Lawyer, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Ph.D. candidate in History, Universidad federal de Ouro Preto.
105. Noraedén Mora Méndez, Ph.D. candidate, University of Southern California.
106. Luz Stella Rodríguez Cáceres, Pesquisadora na Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro
(UERJ)
107. Mariana Libertad Suárez, Department of Humanities, Pontificia Universidad
Católica del Perú.
108. Mónica Santander, Independent cultural activist, Bachelor of Arts, School of Arts, UCV.
109. Luis Alfredo Briceño, Anthropologist (UCV), Master in Anthropology, FLACSO Ecuador.
110. Humberto A. Zavala G., ongoing master studies in Hispanic American Literature. Columnist, La Izquierda Diario Vzla. Member, League of Workers for Socialism.
111. Ana Paula Santana, Historian, Ph.D. candidate in History, Universidade Federal de
Ouro Preto (UFOP), Brazil.
112. Estela Fernández Nadal, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
113. Matheus Silva Marciano. Ongoing Master studies in History, Universidade Federal de OuroPreto.
114. Gabriela Laura Gusis, Criminal Law and Criminology Professor, Faculty of Law, UBA, Universidad Nacional de La Plata and Universidad Nacional deAvellaneda.
115. Sonia Correa, Pesquisadora Associada da ABIA / Co-Coord. do Observatório de Sexualidade e Política.
116. Amparo Romaní, General administration technician, Barcelona City Hall.
117. Mariana Caraballo, Secretary, Research Institute. Human Rights Unit, Council of the Magistracy.
118. Christophe Baticle, Socio-anthropologue, UPJV, Amiens.
119. Francisco Ferreira de Abreu, Criminal and Prison Law Professor, School of Law, Universidad de Los Andes (Mérida-Venezuela)
120. Manuela Picq, International Relations Teacher, Amherst College (USA) & Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador).
121. Ina Shkurti, University of Massachusetts Amherst.
122. Enrique Klaus, Galatasaray Üniversitesi (GSÜ) – Istanbul.
123. Aysen Uysal, Professeure en science politique, Turquía.
124. Marie-Laure Geoffray, Political Sciences Associate Professor, IHEAL-Sorbona Nueva.
125. Ghali Beniza Sari, Institutions de rattachement: I.M.A.F/ CRIA.
126. Andres Zambrano, Ph.D. candidate, Études politiques EHESS-Paris.
127. Rodrigo Codino, Criminology Professor, Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda and UBA post graduate programs.
128. Sebastien Poulain.
129. Luisa Rauter Pereira. Professora e pesquisadora no Dpto de História da Universidade
Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP).
130. Paola Mercedes Jara Figueroa, ongoing Master studies in Literature, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Brazil.
131. Iván Vidal, Professor, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca.
132. Bataillon Gilles, Directeur d’études Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales (Paris).
133. María Alejandra Otamendi, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
134. Thais López, Abogada, ongoing studies in Human Rights Specialization, UCV.
135. Amanda Querales Valdivieso, Singer.
136. Yuruani Rodriguez, Documentalist.
137. Gabriela González Fuentes, Documentalista.
138. Juan Pantín, Architec. Teacher, UCV.
139. Julia Bianchi, Lawyer, UBA, ongoing Master studies in Gender Public Policies, Flacso.
140. Karla Padrón, BA in International Relations, UCV.
141. Nilia Viscardi Etchart, Universidad de la República, Uruguay.
142. Damian Alifa, Sociologist.
143. Maya Collombon, Sociologist, Sciences po Lyon.
144. Raima Rujano, Professor-Researcher. Director, del Social Work Research Center.
145. Francisco José Delgado, Institute of Private Law, UCV.
146. Anne Florence Louzé, Ph.D. in Sociology, Université de Paris.
147. Thomas Posado, Ph.D. in Political Sciences, Universidad Paris-8, CRESPPA-CSU.
148. Julio Ramos, Professor, UC Berkeley.
149. Xiomara Martínez Oliveros, Head Professor, UCV. Ph.D. in Social Sciences.
150. María Emilia Durán García, Sociologist, UCV, Master in Gender and Development Studies, FLACSO Ecuador.
151. Elienai González Hernández, Lawyer, UCV. Master in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences, UB and Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
152. Ana T. Gómez (La Guara), Sociologist. UCV.
153. John Souto Rey, Psychologist, REACIN.
154. Miguel Ángel Hernández, Historian, Retired Professor, School of Sociology, UCV.
155. Iria Puyosa, Universidad Central de Venezuela / Brown University.
156. Francine Jacome, Director, INVESP.
157. Antonio Espinoza, Universidad Politécnica Territorial del estado Aragua, Department of Mechanics.
158. Armando Guerra, Professor, Universidad Politécnica Territorial de los Altos
Mirandinos Cecilio Acosta, National Administration Training Program.
159. José Calma, Lawyer, ongoing studies in procedural law specialization, UCV.
160. Sunniva Labarthe, Social sciences researcher, EHESS-CESPRA.
161. Nelly Prigorian, Researcher, Center for transdisciplinary studies Venezuela/Moldova.
162. Freddy Gutiérrez Trejo, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights 2004-2008. Member, National Constituent Assembly 1999. Professor.
163. Doria Esther Benaim Crespo, Lawyer. Master in Security and Defense,
Specialist in Criminal Law. Human Rights Advocate.
164. Marino Alvarado, Research and Diffusion Coordinator, PROVEA.
165. Rafael Uzcategui, General Coordinator, PROVEA.
166. Feliciano Reyna Gantaume, Venezuela.
167. Rocio Silva Santiesteban, Master in Gender Professor, Pontificia Universidad
Católica del Perú.
168. Luis Silva, University Teacher, Venezuela.
169. Youdi Moreno, Lawyer UCAB, Consultant.
170. Merlin Serrano, Sociologist UCV, Venezuela.
171. Clara Ferrerira, Sociologist UCV, Venezuela.
172. Sergio Sánchez, Mechanical Engineer, UCV.
173. Liliana Pueyo, Architect, UCV.
174. Zenaida Tahhan, Lawyer, UCV.
175. Marcelo Abreu, Brazil.
176. Dorixa Monsalve Dam, Venezuela.
177. André Da Silva Ramos, Brazil.
178. Dario Gómez Suárez, Venezuela.
179. Alisil Fabiola González, Mexico.
180. René Cedillo Rojas, Venezuela.
181. Oswaldo Pacheco Guzmán, Venezuela.
182. Claudia Rodríguez Gilly, Venezuela.
183. José Gregorio Afonso Castilla, Venezuela.
184. Henry Jiménez, Germany.
185. Stella Rodríguez, United States.
186. Elías Alberto Rodríguez Rodríguez, Venezuela.
187. Carlos Silva, Uruguay.
188. María Durán García, Ecuador.
189. Eduardo Torres, Venezuela.
190. Daniel Mota, Brazil.
191. Oriele Benavides, United States.
192. Olga Villsmil, Venezuela.
193. Iván Veloso, Venezuela.
194. Karen Garber, United States.
195. Guillermo Rodríguez, Venezuela.
196. Freddy Rios Rios, Venezuela.
197. Alberto Javier Vega Freitas, Uruguay.
198. Gastón Ramos, Uruguay.
199. Duvi Teixidor, Uruguay.
200. María Lourdes Estanga Martínez, Venezuela.
201. Alejandra Cristina Sapene Chapellín, Colombia.
202. Mariana Luengo, Venezuela.
203. Edward Blanco, Venezuela.
204. Mauricio Jimenez, Colombia.
205. Julieth Barreto, Colombia.
206. Genaro Vásquez Solís, Mexico.
207. María Stolk, Netherlands.
208. Carlos Ramos, Canada.
209. Yaya Andueza, Venezuela.
210. Antonio Rodríguez, Venezuela.
211. Kayré García, Venezuela.
212. Gloria Salazar, Venezuela.
213. Guadalupe Chirinos, Peru.
214. Arnoldo Pirela, France.
215. Yornelis Torres, Argentina.
216. José Cubillán, Argentina.
217. Yonathan Alonzo, France.
218. Elia Reyna, Australia.
219. José Andrés Cova Roque, Venezuela.
220. Laura María Bastidas Zambrano, Venezuela.
221. Naudy Aponte, Venezuela.
222. José Luis Farfan Mancilla, Guatemala.
223. Rubén Maciel Guerreño, Paraguay.
224. Diana Torbay, Venezuela.
225. Héctor Capetillo, Mexico.
226. Ramiro Ñique, Peru.
227. Noah Zweig, Ecuador.
228. Diana Rausseo, Spain.
229. Mary Paredes, Peru.
230. David Enrique Roca Basadre, Peru.
231. Gabriela Croes Esté, Peru.
232. Marlus Arns de Oliveira, Brazil.
233. John Zuluaga, Colombia.
Institutions and Organizations:
234. Observatorio del Sistema Penal y los Derechos Humanos de la UB.
235. Organización de Familiares de Víctimas de Violaciones de Derechos Humanos (ORFAVIDEH).
236. Collectif des universitaires contre les violences policières (France).
237. Red de Activismo e Investigación por la Convivencia (REACIN).
238. Plataforma Ciudadana en Defensa de la Constitución.
239. Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA).
