Prominent Venezuelan Business Leader, Eligio Cedeno, Denied Right to Fair Trial, Again

Political motives keep Cedeno in Prison for more than a year without due process

CARACAS, Venezuela, March 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eligio Cedeno, President of Bolivar-Banpro Financial Group of Venezuela, continued to remain in prison without due process after Venezuelan prosecutors did not show up to his legal hearing for the third time in a month. Through constant delay by the government, Mr. Cedeno has now been detained for more than a year while being denied his right to an impartial trial, right to reasonable bail, right to seek medical treatment, and his right to present evidence in his defense.

On February 8, 2007, Mr. Cedeno was arrested in a rare and politically motivated crack down by Venezuelan officials against business executives who were viewed as sympathetic to opposition parties and who had access to U.S. dollars. Mr. Cedeno was unjustly accused by the Venezuelan Attorney General of aiding Consorcio Microstar with illegal U.S. dollar transactions. He voluntarily presented himself before the government without counsel and has been deprived of his liberty ever since.

This case was postponed by Judge Gabriela Salazar of Court 23 in Venezuela after the General District Attorney's Office of Venezuela once again did not appear for his trial. No advanced notice or explanation for these inexcused absences has been provided by Venezuelan prosecutors.

"Generally in a criminal case, it is the defendant who does not appear for trial and becomes a fugitive. Here, it is Venezuela's prosecutors who are absconding in an attempt to hide from their continuing disregard of due process and judicial transparency," said Victor Cerda, an attorney representing Cedeno in the United States. "This situation should raise the ire of the international human rights community and foreign investors, as business executives are threatened with prolonged detention while they are denied the fundamental right to present exonerating evidence before an impartial judiciary. As in the case of Mr. Cedeno, this happens while their business assets are slowly siphoned off or extorted by the government and its supporters."

Independent critics have stated that the case is marred with irregularities and oversights. It is suspected among the legal community that the Venezuelan government has little evidence to prove the accusations charged against Cedeno. The hearing in the Cedeno case is rescheduled for March 18th. It will only occur if representatives of the Venezuelan Attorney General attend.

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Source: Cedel International

CONTACT: Matt J. Lauer, +1-703-463-1841, mlauer@qorvis.com, for Cedel
International

2008-03-13 18:01:04 0312421 PRNEWSWIRE