Venezuela Sentences 10 in Brazalete Blanco Plot Case
POLITICS · VENEZUELA
Key Facts
- —The country Venezuela, where a court on Caracas’s terrorism bench has ruled in one of the best-known political cases opened under former president Nicolás Maduro.
- —What happened Late on 1 October 2026, the court sentenced 10 defendants in the “Brazalete Blanco” (White Armband) case to between 3 and 18 years and acquitted four, prosecutors and local media reported.
- —Who is involved Mostly demoted military officers, plus at least one civilian. Four co-defendants, including rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel, were acquitted at the prosecution’s request.
- —What it means for you The ruling shows the post-Maduro prosecution dropping some 2024 cases while defending others, so political cases are being sorted case by case rather than closed wholesale.
- —Still open The written judgment is not public, outlets differ on some names among the 10, and defence lawyers have not yet said whether they will appeal.
In the Venezuela Brazalete Blanco case, a Caracas court has sentenced 10 people to prison terms of between 3 and 18 years. The verdict came late on Thursday 1 October 2026, more than two years after the first arrests.
The same ruling acquitted four defendants, among them rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel. Prosecutor General Larry Devoe said on X that the 10 were convicted once their role was “fully proven”.
Who was sentenced, and for what
Three former officers received the longest terms for conspiracy, according to Efecto Cocuyo, El Nacional and Crónica Uno. Ányelo Heredia, a demoted army captain described by prosecutors in 2024 as the ringleader, received 18 years.
Guillermo Enrique César Siero and Ronald Ferrer each received 12 years. Heredia and César Siero are held in El Rodeo I prison, and Ferrer in Yare II, both in Miranda state.
Five defendants received three years each for concealment (encubrimiento). Efecto Cocuyo and Crónica Uno agree on four of them. They are Colonel Carlos Jesús Sánchez, Major Guillermo Henry, Major Diana Desirée Victoria Justo and First Lieutenant Karen Gómez.
For the fifth, Efecto Cocuyo and El Pitazo name civilian Jesús Manuel Suárez Gil, while Crónica Uno names Captain Tomás Martínez Chico. Crónica Uno says those sentenced stay on conditional release and may not leave the country.
El Nacional and Crónica Uno also report a 12-year conspiracy term for General Tomás Martínez Macías, on humanitarian release. Nobody has named a tenth person, Crónica Uno said, and the court has not published a list.
A case built in 2024
The Venezuela Brazalete Blanco (White Armband) case dates from early 2024, under then Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab. Prosecutors alleged a plan to storm an army brigade in Táchira state and kill Maduro and governor Freddy Bernal.
Heredia, a retired officer first detained in 2017, escaped from Ramo Verde military prison in December 2019, El Pitazo reported. He was recaptured in December 2023 while trying to reach Colombia.
Saab later said Heredia had supplied the information used to arrest the others. Rights groups argue the case served to target dissident officers, opposition organisers and activists, Efecto Cocuyo reported.
A split outcome from the prosecution
The Public Ministry (the prosecution service), led by Devoe since Saab’s exit in February, sought four acquittals. It stood by the other 10 convictions, for conspiracy and cover-up, El Nacional reported.
The ruling fits a pattern of case-by-case review rather than blanket closure. It follows Venezuela Frees 39 Detainees After Opposition Talks; Hundreds Still Jailed in late September.
Defence anger and prison conditions
Joel García, a lawyer who litigated the case, called it the worst judicial set-up of his career. “The grievance continues: they convict 10 more innocent people,” he wrote on X, El Pitazo reported.
Foro Penal, a prisoner-rights group, relayed the conspiracy sentences from outside the Palace of Justice. Its lawyers said they had defended Jesús Suárez, who received a non-custodial measure.
Families have also pressed for scrutiny of judges in such cases, as seen in Venezuela Protesters Demand Inquiry Into Judges in Political Prisoner Cases. Crónica Uno notes abuse complaints at both prisons, with no official investigation known so far.
What Is Not Yet Known
The written judgment has not been published. The exact charges and the reasoning behind each term are therefore unclear. It is also unknown whether defence lawyers or the prosecution will appeal.
Heredia’s health is a further open question, since El Nacional reports he lacks medical care for a leg condition. Nor has the court said when the five defendants on conditional release will finish their sentences.
Sources: Efecto Cocuyo, 2 October 2026; El Nacional, 2 October 2026; Crónica Uno, 2 October 2026; El Pitazo, 2 October 2026; statements by Prosecutor General Larry Devoe and Foro Penal on X, 2 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief