Missing chavista dissident Alí Domínguez died at hospital

By Aporrea, 06/03/2019

Alí Domínguez, a youth political leader from the Chavismo dissidence, died in the early hours of the 6th of March, allegedly as a result of a beating that caused him head trauma, a broken septum, and loss of teeth, among other injuries. [Update from Venezuelan Voices: last government statements said Domínguez’s injuries would have been a result of a run-over]

Domínguez had been missing since the 28th of February 2019, after attending, on behalf of the dissident chavismo, a meeting of volunteers at the headquarters of the newspaper El Nacional to discuss humanitarian aid along with different NGOs for the defense and protection of human rights. Militant comrades and family members reported that his last connection in WhatsApp had been at 6:50PM on Thursday, February 28th.

On the 3rd of March, family and friends organized a tweet-storm with the hashtag #QueAparezcaAliDominguez, to demand his return. The person who rented him the room in which he lived in Petare Parish said it was the first time he did not return home without telling him, which he has been doing since he was 15 years old when Ali moved to Caracas to continue his studies.

The Bolivarian National Police (PNB) in Petare refused to register a report of his disappearance, and asked relatives to contact intelligence agencies.

The doormen of the Domingo Luciani del Llanito hospital never allowed his brother (Jesús Domínguez) and friends to enter, after several attempts, especially on Sunday 03/03 and Monday 04/03. They assured that there were no unknown patients in the hospital.

Alí Domínguez appeared at the Domingo Luciani hospital in El Llanito on Tuesday, March 5th, when he was later identified by his brother. Ali Domínguez was in a coma with severe head trauma. He presented loss of brain stem, fracture of septum and was missing several teeth.

The doctor in charge reported that he was received on Friday, 1st of March, from a patrol of the Bolivarian National Police, who reported that he was found on the Francisco Fajardo highway.

He had no injuries to the rest of his body, so family members were wary of the version of a possible run over.

Alí Domínguez was a student leader at the Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV), and recently alerted his closest friends that he had received threats from state security and intelligence forces for reporting acts of corruption at the UBV.

Domínguez had already been beaten on another occasion because of the accusations he made at the time. His university degree was never given to him, which he believed to be a consequence of his anti-corruption stance.

“Shocked, surprised and saddened by the death of my former student at the UBV, Alí Domínguez. I join those who ask for an investigation of this unfortunate event and express my solidarity to their families and friends,” said journalist Lusana Colomine, a former Dominguez professor.