Julio Soto, aged 30. Student leader.Associate of Yon Goicochea. Now dead.
Another day, another death. But this one should be a wake up call for both sides of Venezuelan politics. Yesterday Julio Soto was driving through the city of Maracaibo when two or three (eyewitness reports differ) people approached his vehicle and shot him around 20 times. The murder has all the hallmarks of a hit, as nothing was stolen and the gunmen drove off immediately after shooting.
Julio Soto was the local leader of the FCU opposition student movement at Maracaibo's Zulia University and a member of the opposition COPEI party. To the credit of the FCU and COPEI, so far there hasn't been a rush to judge this crime as political violence, though the suspicion at the moment is that he was killed by his political enemies, i.e. Chávez supporters.
Equally the response from pro Chávez students movements has been welcome and mature. In a press conference today, local pro-Chávez groups strongly condemned the murder and have called on people on both sides of the political fence to come together and do something about the escalation of violence. As for the the government itself, it seems it has been quick to act. Interior and Justice Minister Tarek el Aissami strongly condemned the murder and has already sent a full investigation team to the region. He also called for peace and assured locals that the authors of this crime will not go unpunished.
That remains to be seen. However this crime, horrible that it is, does have the gravitas to force Venezuela into recognizing it has a growing problem. Say what you like about the views of either side; this is no way to resolve arguments. I don't give a damn if you agreed with Soto's politics or not. You kill someone like this and you're an asshole. A left wing asshole or right wing asshole is just an asshole, nothing more.
It's not too late to do something about it, but time is running out. Hugo Chávez has a serious social problem on his hands, and Presidential action is needed right now. What you got to stop this, Hugo?
Julio Soto was the local leader of the FCU opposition student movement at Maracaibo's Zulia University and a member of the opposition COPEI party. To the credit of the FCU and COPEI, so far there hasn't been a rush to judge this crime as political violence, though the suspicion at the moment is that he was killed by his political enemies, i.e. Chávez supporters.
Equally the response from pro Chávez students movements has been welcome and mature. In a press conference today, local pro-Chávez groups strongly condemned the murder and have called on people on both sides of the political fence to come together and do something about the escalation of violence. As for the the government itself, it seems it has been quick to act. Interior and Justice Minister Tarek el Aissami strongly condemned the murder and has already sent a full investigation team to the region. He also called for peace and assured locals that the authors of this crime will not go unpunished.
That remains to be seen. However this crime, horrible that it is, does have the gravitas to force Venezuela into recognizing it has a growing problem. Say what you like about the views of either side; this is no way to resolve arguments. I don't give a damn if you agreed with Soto's politics or not. You kill someone like this and you're an asshole. A left wing asshole or right wing asshole is just an asshole, nothing more.
It's not too late to do something about it, but time is running out. Hugo Chávez has a serious social problem on his hands, and Presidential action is needed right now. What you got to stop this, Hugo?
Julio Soto, QEPD