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Tracy doesn't fit the profile (Photo: family handout) |
Tracy, 35, had been active in the film business in
California, having worked as a consultant and producer. He has been in
Venezuela since last year, and had been detained twice by Venezuela’s
intelligence police before his arrest at the international airport in Venezuela’s
capital, Caracas.
Tensions are high in Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro,
who succeeded the late Hugo Chávez, narrowly defeated the opposition candidate Henrique
Capriles Radonski in an election held April 14. Capriles has said he was robbed
of victory, and is challenging the vote. During post-election rioting at least
seven people were killed and many more injured.
So far, we have been given little evidence against Tracy save a press conference alleging that he was part of what the government has dubbed the “April Connection” (Conexión Abril). Apparently, Tracy, who is accused of financing the anti-government riots that occurred on April 14 and 16, was to sow dissent and bring about a coup that would then result in a US-supported regime.
The assumption is that he was working as a direct agent of
the United States. However, friends of Tracy have said that the Georgetown
University graduate had no connection with any government.
“Tim Tracy is not affiliated with any governmental
intelligence agency — is not even remotely associated,” Tracy’s friend Jesse
Herman told the Washington Post.
Herman, who studied at Georgetown University with Tracy,
added: “The whole thing is ridiculous.
It’s almost comical, the way he’s being portrayed.”
The US government has emphatically denied that Tracy was working
for them. However, the Venezuelan government alleges that Tracy had received
funds from an unidentified foreign non-governmental organization (NGO), and had
directed that money to anti-government student organizations involved in the protests.
A video has been presented by the Venezuelan government to
support its case against Tracy. In one scene viewed by the Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ) “young people are seen making jokes in a dark room”. In
another scene an opposition figure speaks about demonstrations. The government
alleges that a search of Tracy’s apartment resulted in dozens of videos and
photographs proving Tracy’s involvement in an anti-government plot.
According to press reports, Tracy was about to leave
Venezuela when he was arrested. A campaign is now underway
to secure his release.
(TE Wilson is the author of Mezcalero, a Detective Sánchez novel.)
Twitter: @TimothyEWilson
Email: lapoliticaeslapolitica [at] gmail [dot] com
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