The body of Captain Rafel Acosta Arevalo–who died with “serious signs of torture” on June 29 after spending a week in regime custody–was finally buried today after spending twelve days inside the Bello Monte morgue in Caracas.
The authorities have yet to explain why they deemed it necessary to hang on to Acosta’s body for such a long period of time. The autopsy on Acosta’s body was completed one June 29, the same day that he died.
Starting in the early morning hours, a large number of National Bolivarian Police (NBP) were seen at the morgue, suggesting that the move was imminent. While several of Acosta’s relatives were outside of the morgue waiting for news, only one of them–his aunt–was allowed inside the identify the body.
The image below shows police officers in the vicinity of Acosta’s hearse:
Authorities Chose Acosta’s Burial Place, Oversaw Entire Process
Acosta’s burial took place under a heavy police presence, with officers from the NBP keeping watchful eye over every step of the process, from the time that the body left the morgue until it was buried. The fact was reminiscent of the burial of Oscar Perez, which also took place under heavy police presence after his body had been kept at the morgue for several days without an explanation.
According to Noticiero Digital, the authorities had roadblocks set up on the main roads between the Bello Monte morgue and the Cementerio del Este, Acosta’s final resting place, and were checking vehicles heading to the site. Near the entrance to the cemetery, the police set up a barricade to stop all vehicular traffic into the grounds.
The video below shows several NBP officers on their motorcycles leaving the Bello Monte morgue, following Acosta’s hearse:
In the video below, a NBP with his weapon drawn gestures at a journalist who was riding on a motorcycle following Acosta’s hearse:
Below, an image of the police barricade blocking access to the cemetery:
Alfonso Medina Roa, one of Acosta’s lawyers, told reporters that the authorities even decided where to bury Acosta, despite the objections of the family. While most of Acosta’s family lives in the city of Maracay and wanted him buried there, the regime had him buried in Caracas, Medina explained.
It wasn’t enough that they detained him, disappeared him, tortured him and murdered him. The inhuman amount of pain that captain Rafael Acosta Arevalo wasn’t enough. They also wanted his family to suffer the horrors of their imposition, their aggression; fear and arbitrariness.
They [the government] didn’t care that they [Acosta’s relatives] all live in Maracay. None of it mattered. In the end, the regime ended up deploying the terror script to which they’ve accustomed us, and buried the captain’s body wherever they wanted.
The video below shows Acosta’s grave at the cemetery:
Questions/Comments? E-mail me: invenezuelablog@gmail.com
In Venezuela 