Franklin Brito: Martyred human rights defender tortured by Venezuela's regime

"I’ve learned of the death of hunger striker Franklin Brito. It appears that Hugo Chavez now has his own Orlando Zapata" - Yoani Sanchez, August 31, 2010 on twitter

Franklin Brito ( September 5, 1960 – August 30, 2010)

Franklin Brito was a farmer and biologist whose 250 acre fruit and vegetable farm was expropriated by Hugo Chavez in 2003.

Notice of expropriation

Hugo Chávez nationalized 2.5 million hectares as part of a “land reform drive.” This was done allegedly to address past inequalities in distribution. The so-called reform, combined with increased government control over the economy exacerbated food shortages in Venezuela, just like the Castro regime did in Cuba.

Franklin Brito on his farm prior to it being seized in 2003.

Today, the fruits of this policy in Venezuela is rising malnutrition approaching famine levels, but for too long the humanitarian crisis was covered up.

Franklin Brito's ability to provide for his family was crippled when the Chavez regime took his land. The politicized courts in Venezuela, unwilling to provide a just decision, left him in a desperate situation.  

Despite its widespread violation there is a right to private property, it is an internationally recognized human right, in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Human rights and the rule of law exist in order to provide justice and protect those without power from the abuse of the powerful. Both have been long absent in Venezuela.

Sowed his mouth shut in 2004 protesting the Chavez regime.

Brito began a series of protests and demonstrations to defend his rights. Franklin exhausted every recourse until he was driven to the final option.  

The Venezuelan regime said Brito was mentally unstable because he had sown up his mouth and cut off one of his fingers on live television protesting the seizure of his land.

Franklin Brito protested Chavez regime's property seizure

The Red Cross, Caracas Clinical Hospital and the Venezuelan Psychologists' Association said that Franklin Brito was of sound mind.  

Franklin Brito exhausted every nonviolent recourse and was driven to the final option: six different hunger strikes that began in 2004. 

Franklin Brito on hunger strike holds up photo of himself prior to start.

During one of these hunger strikes on November 19, 2009 Brito explained what drove him:

"I am not doing this strike for something material or because persons have behaved badly towards me - that one could say are corrupt. I am doing this strike for dignity and justice. I believe that these are the greatest values that a human being should have."

Brito was taken by the military on December 13, 2009 held at the Military Hospital "Dr.  Carlos  Arvelo" in Caracas. He was taken under the excuse of protecting his health, but was subjected to cruel and unusual practices that rose to the level of torture and compromised his health.

Military Hospital "Dr.  Carlos  Arvelo"

He was kept next to an air conditioning unit at 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). This unit also made a constant and incessant noise that made it difficult for him to sleep. Officials used the pretext of treating the "insomnia" to use medications for schizophrenia, specifically hallucinogens. This practice of using psychiatric "treatment" as a weapon against dissidents has been well documented both in Cuba under the Castro regime and in the Soviet Union.  Foro por la Vida Coalition of Venezuelan NGOs reported on further mistreatment that compromised the farmer and biologist's health.

Franklin Brito started having breathing problems attributable to the negligent performance of  doctors  who,  through  a  procedure  executed inefficiently, pierced  a lung, which resulted that this be filled with water; in this procedure he also suffers havoc in the glottis, generating  difficulties in  speaking. Is worth noting that this occurs in  mid-July, eight months after a Criminal Court decided  that only under the custody of state his life could be safe.

Franklin Brito died on August 30, 2010 in the Military Hospital "Dr.  Carlos  Arvelo" in Caracas. 

The tactics Hugo Chavez used, questioning the mental stability of Franklin Brito, weaponizing medical care to break him down both physically and psychologically using torture then smearing him, in death, were copied from the Castro regime's repertoire.

In Cuba Pedro Luis Boitel (1972), Orlando Zapata Tamayo (2010) and Wilman Villar Mendoza (2012) all died on hunger strikes protesting their unjust imprisonment and ill treatment while in the custody of regime officials.

In his last interview, Franklin Brito called on Venezuelans to be the authors of their own destiny and not rely on politicians.   



Franklin Brito's family stated that he stood for "the struggle of the Venezuelan people for property rights, access to justice, for living in freedom."

Nine years later and the wisdom of his advice and his courageous stand become more evident with each passing day.