Manuel Cristopher Figuera
Director of SEBIN
In office
30 October 2018 – 30 April 2019
PresidentNicolás Maduro
Preceded byGustavo González López
Succeeded byGustavo González López
Personal details
Born (1963-11-08) 8 November 1963
Punta de Mata, Monagas, Venezuela
Alma mater
Military service
Allegiance Venezuela
Branch/service Venezuelan Army
Rank Major general

Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera is the former director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and former major general of the Venezuelan army.[1] He is known for being a main conspirator during the failed 2019 Venezuelan uprising.[2]

Early life

Christopher Figuera was born on 8 November 1963 in Punta de Mata, Monagas, Venezuela.[1][2] He graduated from the Military Academy of Venezuela in 1989 with a military sciences and arts degree.[2] He would later earn a master's degree in strategic management degree from the Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez in 2007, a master's in military sciences and arts and a doctorate in security of the nation from the Bolivarian Military University of Venezuela.[1]

Career

Chávez government

Under Chávez, Christopher Figuera served as an aide for over twelve years.[2] He became the deputy director of the Directorate General of Military Intelligence in 2007.[2]

Maduro government

In July 2017, he was appointed director of the Strategic Center for Security and Protection of the Fatherland (CESSPA) by President Nicolás Maduro.[2] Following incidents that occurred under Gustavo González López's leadership while director of SEBIN, Christopher Figuera was named his replacement on 30 October 2018.[2]

2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt

During the 2019 Venezuelan uprising, Christopher Figuera was a main conspirator who attempted to persuade Maduro to resign his claim of Venezuela's presidency.[2][3] Cristopher Figuera fled to the US after the events.[4] In an interview with The Washington Post, he gave declarations on illicit gold deals by the Maduro administration, on Hezbollah cells in Venezuela and on the extent of Cuban influence in the military.[4]

Sanctions

Officials of Maduro's security and intelligence were sanctioned by the US (February 2019) and Canada (April 2019) for helping suppress democracy, the list included Cristopher Figuera.[5][6][7] The US Treasury Department says the security officials are responsible for torture, human rights abuses, and extrajudicial killings.[5][6]

Following the 30 April 2019 uprising, the governments of the US (May 2019) and Canada (June 2019) removed sanctions against Cristopher Figuera.[8][9][10] The US Treasury Department press release said the action demonstrated that "removal of sanctions may be available for designated persons who take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order, refuse to take part in human rights abuses, speak out against abuses committed by the illegitimate Maduro regime, or combat corruption in Venezuela".[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Nicolás Maduro destituyó a Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera, director del Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia, que denunció la corrupción del régimen". Infobae (in European Spanish). 1 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "¿Quién es Manuel Figuera, el ex director del Sebin al que EE.UU. le retiró las sanciones?". El Comercio (in Spanish). 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
  3. ↑ Faiola, Anthony (24 June 2019). "Maduro's ex-spy chief lands in U.S. armed with allegations against Venezuelan government". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 Faiola, Anthony (24 June 2019). "Maduro's ex-spy chief lands in U.S. armed with allegations against Venezuelan government". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 Sullivan, Andy; Lisa Lambert (15 February 2019). "U.S. sanctions five Venezuelans, ratcheting up pressure on Maduro". Reuters. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Treasury sanctions officials aligned with former President Nicolas Maduro and involved in repression and corruption" (Press release). U.S. Department of the Treasury. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 153, Number 9: Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations". Government of Canada Public Works and Government Services Canada. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  8. ↑ Ramptom, Roberta (7 May 2019). "U.S. lifts sanctions on Venezuelan general who broke with Maduro". Reuters. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Canadian Sanctions Related to Venezuela". Global Affairs Canada-Affaires mondiales. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  10. ↑ "Canada retiró sanciones a ex director del Sebin por oponerse a Maduro". El Nacional (in Spanish). 20 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "Treasury removes sanctions imposed on former high-ranking Venezuelan intelligence official after public break with Maduro and dismissal" (Press release). U.S. Department of State. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
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