Threats Against Venezuelan Attorney Following Request to Investigate Soccer Player’s Entry into the US
Surveillance video caught the moment a Miami attorney, John De la Vega, received threatening messages after asking Sen. Marco Rubio to investigate whether a Venezuelan soccer player with ties to the government should be allowed into the United States.
Threatening Messages Left on Attorney’s Vehicle
The notes, written in red ink and capital letters, were left on De la Vega’s vehicle outside his home at around 2 a.m. on Friday. The message reads: "Lo que es con uno, es con todos. Furia Bolivariana.” In English, the message translates to: "What’s against one person, is against all. Bolivarian fury." This phrase is a reference to current leader Nicolás Maduro’s regime and campaigns, a phrase often used by the president and his supporters.
Attorney’s Concerns
De la Vega, an attorney from Venezuela who has also served in Iraq, says the threats were left by two people. One man taped a sign to his back windshield and left a note on the ground while another recorded from the driver’s seat of a vehicle, he says.
"I’m disturbed to see that we have people or groups allied with the [Hugo] Chavez regime that can get to someone’s address and leave these kinds of threatening signs that makes you think, well, we’re not as safe as we should be in the United States," De la Vega said in an interview with our sister station Telemundo 51.
Background on the Case
De la Vega believes the threats were in response to his and other colleagues’ formal request to Sen. Marco Rubio to investigate Matías Lacava’s "entrance to the U.S." Matías Lacava is a Venezuelan soccer player and the son of Venezuelan Governor Rafael Lacava, a "high-ranking representative of the Chavez regime," De La Vega said.
Conclusion
The attorney’s request was for people with ties to the regime to only be allowed into the U.S. after a deeper investigation. De la Vega reported the threats to the FBI, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security.
FAQs
- Who is John De la Vega?
John De la Vega is a Miami attorney from Venezuela who has also served in Iraq. - What is the context behind the threats?
The threats are believed to be in response to De la Vega’s request to Sen. Marco Rubio to investigate Matías Lacava’s entry into the U.S. - Who is Matías Lacava?
Matías Lacava is a Venezuelan soccer player and the son of Venezuelan Governor Rafael Lacava, a high-ranking representative of the Chavez regime. - What is the significance of the phrase "Bolivarian fury"?
The phrase is a reference to current leader Nicolás Maduro’s regime and campaigns, a phrase often used by the president and his supporters.
