Press Release by His Excellency Yoel Perez Marcano, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to St Vincent and the Grenadines

Tue, Sept 25, 2012

The release of the five (5) Venezuelan citizens, crew of the fishing boat “El Amigo Fay”, who were arrested on July 3rd in Union Island, is a sovereign act, issued by the authorities of the Office of the Prosecutor (DPP) and the Serious Offences Court,{{more}} based on the facts investigated and the content of the Constitution and criminal laws of the State of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

During the investigation, the Venezuelan police and the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in St Vincent and the Grenadines, based on international collaboration agreements for the investigation of crimes, provided all the support requested by the Vincentian police to fully identify the three (3) citizens killed and the five (5) arrested investigations which allowed the affirmation in the police archives and Venezuelan jurisdiction that there were no existing record of criminal activities relating to these persons.

Collaboration between agencies of both countries allowed for scientific research, based on material elements and testimonies gathered at the scene and the statements of detainees and Vincentian officials involved, which were the legal basis for authorities to declare that the detainees were not responsible for any of the offenses that made up the investigation; therefore, based on the laws protecting legal rights of persons under investigation, they were released for lack of evidence.

In the States of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, it is enforced in the rule of law and the Division of Public Power that those competent to accuse and judge persons in relation to criminal acts are the attorneys and the judicial courts, reason for which, the governments of both countries have no relation with their decisions, to which we reject any other assertion that is different from the institutional position of our governments.

We reiterate our sorrow for those who died in this unfortunate incident and, in particular, we express our heartfelt words of sympathy to the wife and children of Customs officer Whyte, at the same time, we are committed to working closely and continuously with the Vincentian authorities in the prevention of such incidents, which should not affect the excellent relations of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the peoples and governments of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, expressed in the supply programs of domestic diesel and gas, laptop schools, homes for the poor, college scholarships, the construction of the Argyle International Airport, among others.

September 20, 2012