Italian judges ask President Chavez to stand as witness in drug trafficker case

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Italian judges ask President Chavez to stand as witness in drug trafficker case

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Caracas, Venezuela, 26 June 2008. According to local Globovision, Italian judicial authorities from Palerno have asked Venezuelan President Chavez to stand as witness in a case against a Caracas business man -39 year old Alex del Nogal- accused of drug trafficking in Europe. According to local news network Unionradio, Judges took the request to bring Chavez with reserve. However, it is unlikely President Chavez would attend such request due to his political status as a Head of State. Most likely, Italian government would ask him to answer questions by a rogatory letter.

 Alex del Nogera was to served a 30 year jail term in Venezuela for murdering another business man- Mario Patti Fajardo- in 1993. His term was pardoned in 2000 for good conduct in jail.Then, he was caught in Italy for smuggling cocaine in November 2007. After securing a quick release from jail, Italian police caught him again in January 2008. His lawyers requested the presence of President Chavez in the trial to assert over his conduct. It has been alleged they have been friends for a long time. However, such claim has only come from the opposition side of Venezuelan politics.    

Government officials have not commented on the news yet.

More news to come soon

Sources: Globovision, Unionradio, El Universal,