July 22: The Tower of David

The Centro Financiero Confianzas is an unfinished skyscraper in the heart of Caracas. Commonly known as “The Tower of David” after its main investory, David Brillembourg, the building has remained untouched by construction crews since the banking crisis of 1994. Since then, work on the building has been at a standstill, and the Tower of David lays today much as it did twenty years ago.

The building was occupied in 2007 by poor families unable to find shelter through public housing. Over the years, the population of the Tower has ballooned to over 2,500. Today, there are 1,156 families living in the Tower of David. Standing at 190m tall and 45 stories, the building is the world’s tallest slum complex.

Starting last night, security forces moved into the tower to begin the process of evicting the families who have made the building their home. As of this afternoon, two out of the building’s 45 floors have been cleared (source and pictures from El Universal).

The eviction will take place in stages, with phases one and two scheduled to be completed this week. The government hopes to have 160 families out of the building this week.

The evicted families are being relocated to government hosing in Ciudad Zamora, in the city of Cua, south of Caracas.

Wendy Garcia, a resident of the tower, said:

I’d been living in the Confianzas Tower for five years, and I was already tired [of living there] but I had no other option.
(…)
They [her daughters] will be able to play in peace, and I’ll be at peace too because we lived without dignity in the tower.

Wendy’s sentiments were echoed by Eudis Leon, another tower resident, who said:

I’m so grateful… really, thank you so much. I don’t have any words. I’m in shock.

Yuraima Parra, a long-time resident, said:

Necessity brought me here, and the tower gave me a good home… I lived here for seven years. I will  miss it, but now it’s time to go, and they [the government] will give us all good apartments.

Simonovis Taken to Hospital, Released

Ivan Simonovis – Venezuelan’s most famous political prisoner alongside Leopoldo Lopez – was taken to hospital Monday overnight due to severe chest pains. According to human rights lawyer Elenis Rodriguez, Simonovis was examined by a doctor who recommened that he be kept in observation until at least tomorrow, when he is expected to be released and sent back to the Ramo Verde military prison. Rodriguez said:

The tests the doctors needed to do to determine the reason why he had strong chest pains have been conducted, but they haven’t told either his wife nor even Simonovis himself what the results of the tests or diagnosis are.

Hearing for Detained Students Deferred to July 29

The preliminary hearing for eight tudents detained earlier this year at camps they’d set up in Caracas was deferred to July 29 today, after SEBIN agents refused to carry out the order to transport the students to the courthouse.

The students have been in custody since early May, when security forces raided and dismantled the protest camp the students had set up.

Gonzalo Himiob, a lawyer representing the students, said:

It appears to me that the judge sent the order [to transport the students] on time, and that the order was sent again today, even through fax, but unfortunately SEBIN did not want to follow it.
(…)
it’s surprising that a security force refuse to follow judicial orders. That the Venezuela we live in. 

Damelis Josefina Veracierto, the mother of one of the detained students, said:

What I want is for them to tell me why they’re not going to hold the audience for my son and for the other kids.
(…)
I don’t accept that the justice system in this country keeps playing with the pain I feel as a mother. They can’t keep playing with the lives of these kids who are so desperate to get out so they can finish their studies. No one can say that my son is in jail for being a murderer. My son just wants a better country. I’m staying here, and I’m sleeping here, until my son comes out.

The detained students are called Ángel Contreras, Gerardo Resplandor, Gerardo Carrero, Abril Tovar, Nixon Leal, Anderson Briceño and Dioris Albarrán. They are charged with public instigation, assault and using minors to commit a crime.

The scene outside the courthouse was hectic. The boy’s shirt reads, “Freedom for my uncle”: