Name: Ángel Vivas
Arbitrarily detained: April 7, 2017
Released: June 1, 2018
Place of confinement: El Helicoide
Occupation: General (R) Army
General Ángel Vivas was arbitrarily detained on April 7, 2017, when officials from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) entered his house and took him to an unknown location. After several weeks disappeared and after a strong campaign in social media to know his location, General Vivas appeared in El Helicoide with strong marks of having suffered torture.
After 34 days of the arrest of Ángel Vivas, his family could see him and know the delicate state of his health. His lawyers said that at the height of his temple he had a wound that affected his left eye, causing partial loss of vision, by the heavy blows received, completely lost hearing in the right ear and received a strong blow to the spine with a rifle. His family reported that he did not receive adequate medical attention and also that due to the blows received in the spine he can barely walk and has prostate problems.
General Vivas was presented in a military court and was charged with the crimes of instigation of rebellion, rebellion and treason. On June 1, 2018, a measure of the National Constituent Assembly granted him release with several restrictions.
Before his release from prison, he was forced to appear before the Truth Commission of the National Constituent Assembly. From the Yellow House, while a reporter from the State channel made a television pass, he exclaimed “Death to tyranny, long live freedom!” as a sign of protest. He should never have been behind bars.
