Bárbara Gabriela César Siero, who once served as vice president of the Political-Administrative Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), released a video statement on Wednesday accusing the Chavista regime of unlawfully detaining two of her brothers and her sister-in-law—all three being Army officers—to compel her into signing the political disqualification of María Corina Machado and other opposition leaders.
The former judge recounted that the arrest occurred on December 15, 2023, coinciding with the day Machado submitted her appeal to the TSJ to contest her disqualification, as part of the Barbados Agreement. On that day, officials from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) apprehended Lieutenant Colonel Guillermo Enrique César Siero, Major Guillermo Henry César Siero, and Major Diana Desirée Victoria Justo.
The Day of Arrests
"On Friday, December 15, 2023, as the deadline for filing lawsuits expired, Maria Corina Machado was the last to file her complaint. At the same time, my siblings were arbitrarily detained by DGCIM officials," César Siero narrated in the video, titled "Captives of Power."
Seven days after the disappearance of her family members, an attorney assisting the president of the Administrative Chamber—who was César Siero's daughter—unexpectedly demanded that she approve decisions without following standard procedures.
Signing Under Duress
"With my siblings and sister-in-law missing, fearing for their lives, my other family members, and my own, I proceeded to sign," she confessed.
Among the documents she was pressured into signing were the disqualifications of Machado, Henrique Capriles Radosky, Rosa Brandonicio Descarano, and Pablo Pérez Álvarez.
In January 2024, when then-President Nicolás Maduro claimed new assassination plots against him in the National Assembly, César Siero was again forced to endorse the disqualification rulings. Shortly thereafter, she was coerced into resigning. "They told me that if I didn't resign, things would get worse for me," she disclosed.
Political and Judicial Ramifications
The ex-judge was discreetly removed from her role without being granted her retirement, and her vacancy was never officially reported to the National Assembly.
"My family's lives were used to force me into signing crucial decisions that affected the country's democratic path," César Siero declared, adding that "in Venezuela, there is no judicial autonomy or independence, nor due process."
The revelation emerged days after the "Brazalete Blanco" case reached its judicial conclusion: on October 1, human rights advocate Rocío San Miguel was acquitted of all charges after being detained for nearly 700 days. However, in the same proceedings, César Siero's relatives were convicted: General Guillermo Enrique César Siero received a 12-year prison sentence, while her brother and sister-in-law were sentenced to three years each. This judgment spurred the former judge to break her silence.
Machado's disqualification, confirmed by the TSJ in January 2024, barred her from running in the presidential elections on July 28 of that year, prompting the opposition to nominate Edmundo González Urrutia instead.
César Siero has appealed for protection for herself and her family from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch.
This denunciation surfaces during a politically delicate time: the dialogue process between Chavismo and the opposition, initiated in August, includes plans to renew all TSJ magistrates by November, although the committee to select the new members of Venezuela's top court has yet to be appointed.
Frequently Asked Questions about Venezuela's Judicial Independence
What led Bárbara Gabriela César Siero to speak out against the Chavista regime?
The sentencing of her family members in the "Brazalete Blanco" case prompted her to break her silence and reveal the coercion she faced, including the forced signing of political disqualifications.
How did the regime allegedly coerce César Siero into signing disqualifications?
The regime allegedly detained her siblings and sister-in-law, threatening their lives and safety, to compel her into signing key political disqualifications.
What impact did the disqualifications have on Venezuelan politics?
The disqualification of key opposition figures like María Corina Machado prevented them from running in presidential elections, significantly affecting the democratic process in Venezuela.