Update on the Ronald Ojeda Moreno Case and Related International Proceedings
The Chilean justice system announced late Friday that the body of Ronald Ojeda Moreno, a former Venezuelan Army officer who had been abducted on February 21 in Santiago, was found. Four individuals who impersonated police officers from the Investigative Police (PDI) were responsible for the kidnapping. Prosecutor Hector Barros stated that the corpse was recovered inside a suitcase and buried beneath a layer of concrete in a Santiago commune, after days of intensive forensic work. Barros noted that the death occurred roughly seven to ten days prior, aligning with the time of the reported kidnapping. The cause of death was not disclosed by the prosecutor.
The authorities also detained a 17-year-old Venezuelan who had entered Chile illegally and who is expected to testify soon. Barros hinted at the possibility that the young suspect may be part of a larger, sophisticated operation tied to organized crime.
The Ojeda Moreno case sent shockwaves through Chile, particularly affecting a government led by Gabriel Boric, which has shown a critical stance toward Venezuela since taking office. The presidential palace described the incident as highly sensitive. Ojeda Moreno had held political refugee status since 2017 due to his opposition to Nicolás Maduro. He had been abducted by a group that used counterfeit PDI uniforms. Security cameras at the building where the ex-officer resided captured the moment of the kidnapping.
Earlier reports noted that a former Venezuelan police official, Iván Simonovis, who is associated with the acting president Juan Guaidó, broke the story and pointed fingers at Caracas, prompting a response from Diosdado Cabello, a key Maduro ally, who linked the operation to the government in Caracas.
The case unfolds as the International Criminal Court in The Hague recently rejected Venezuela’s challenge to the ongoing investigation of alleged crimes against humanity, connected to a period of intense conflict between the government and the opposition. The proceedings stem from complaints filed in November 2021, coordinated by Chile together with Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru. The allegations include torture, arbitrary arrests, and disappearances, raising questions about state accountability on the international stage.
The Venezuelan Public Prosecutor’s Office criticized the ICC ruling, accusing the Appeals Chamber of double standards for not fully investigating crimes committed in other conflict zones, including the Gaza Strip. The prosecutor general argued that the chamber had reviewed only a small portion of the information provided and questioned the purpose of Venezuela’s commitment to the Rome Statute if it does not acknowledge all alleged abuses. This reaction added a new layer of tension to a political climate already unsettled by the electoral process in Venezuela.
As the electoral calendar remains unsettled, the government has yet to set a concrete timetable for presidential elections this year. A recent decision to disqualify a leading opposition candidate, Maria Corina Machado, created a fresh impasse in negotiations. President Maduro proposed that the Latin American community monitor the electoral process, signaling a push for international oversight amid domestic disputes. These developments come at a time when regional observers look for stability and democratic norms to be upheld in Venezuela.
Citation note: The details above reflect reporting from Chilean authorities and multiple international legal bodies, with developments monitored by regional governments and human rights observers. For further reading, see official court statements and the ICC briefings issued during the case proceedings. (Cited sources: Chilean prosecution updates; The Hague ICC filings; regional government statements.)