Translated by: Fabianna Blanco
Araminta has been in prison for a year now. She did not commit any crime,there are no proofs against her, and she does not have any criminal records. The only existing testimony is the one from "cooperative patriots," who turned her into the target of their anger. They only needed that testimony to fabricate a case against her.
Araminta González is an orphan and a chemist. She has had significant experience over the years in the pharmaceutical industry. But her career, being a chemist, was her punishment. According to her accusers, she made explosives in her house. These alleged explosives were never found, but they are still the reason why she is imprisoned today.
They incriminate her, accuse her, lock her, hit her, abuse her. However, it does not matter how many times she explains she is not part of a secret violent coup group that plans to overthrow President Maduro, she is still there, at the Isnof; without a preliminary hearing, a trial, or hope. Araminta is a victim, an example of what can happen when a group of patriot fanatics get together to impose their justice. People who know her believe we, on the outside, are not doing enough to save her. I heard about her case because of different people who, in different times, told me her story. Little by little Araminta stopped being invisible. She wrote me a 5-page hand-written letter. In June 2014, a group of Cicpc (Corporation of Scientific and Criminal Investigations) officers raided her apartment looking for explosives. Some cooperative patriots, friends with the government, reported her. They took everything in her apartment that could be used against her in the trial. Then, they went after her. They arrested her while she was having coffee at a mall with her ex boyfriend, Albert Díaz, who went missing after this episode. They were both arrested and put into different police cars. Once inside the police station, the questions, hitting, screaming and unfair treatments started.
That's how she describes it in her letter, because getting hit in the face and chest should be hard to forget. The day of her arrest, her face was covered and she was taken to a Cicpc station at Urdaneta avenue. She could hear Albert screaming. In there, they were both tortured for about 10 hours. They asked them names, addresses, phone numbers. They told her they would plead guilty so she could be free if she gave them information. She was locked in a room and handcuffed; there, she was beaten several times. They hit her toes with a hammer. They pulled her nails. In front of a BAE (Organization Against Explosives) group, they showed her the items that were taken away from her house, while she was asked how did each of them worked and what they were for. “I explained them that I was a chemist, and that these items could not be used for explosives because, to make them, specific requirements have to be met. I repeated that I could not make any explosives at my home. I told them I did not know anything about electronics and explosives....”
But her explanation wasn’t enough. They pulled her hair off, which even though it has been a year, has not grown back. Her lawyers say her head is filled with little pieces of hairs, which she uses to cover her baldness. She is considered a highly-dangerous political prisoner, even though she does not belong to any political party, which is why very often she is searched by officers in every single part of her body. She has spent up to 20 days without drinkable water, toilet paper, or soap. They took her clothes, sanitary towels, food and personal hygiene items away. She had to negotiate with one of the guards who told her she would trade her soap for her Bible. Her soap in exchange of her Bible! Her holy book that has served as comfort throughout this tragedy.
In that prison, lonely, very lonely she fights against hate, depression and hopelessness. It is hard for her to be optimistic, which is why she has not stop praying. Her love for her country, neighbors and God is what keeps her alive. But those who have seen her, fear for her physical and mental health, because Araminta is fading away despite the incredible fight her lawyers keep battling.
I just received this message when I was about to put an end this article: Araminta’s preliminary hearing was deferred to July 23rd because of the incompetence of the Public Ministry, Fiscalía 20 Nacional. Once again justice in Venezuela is non-existent, just like Araminta’s hair...non-existent
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Link to original article: http://runrun.es/opinion/209553/y-le-arrancaron-el-cabello-por-jose-domingo-blanco.html