Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera is the former director of the
Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and former
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of the
Venezuelan army
The Venezuelan Army, officially the National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Ejército Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is one of the six professional branches of the Armed Forces of Venezuela. Also known ...
.
He is known for being a main conspirator during the failed
2019 Venezuelan uprising.
Early life
Christopher Figuera was born on 8 November 1963 in
Punta de Mata,
Monagas
)
, anthem = '' Himno del Estado Monagas''
, image_map = Monagas in Venezuela.svg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Location within Venezuela
, pushpin_map =
, pushpin_m ...
, Venezuela.
He graduated from the
Military Academy of Venezuela in 1989 with a military sciences and arts degree.
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.
Career
Chávez government
Under Chávez, Christopher Figuera served as an aide for over twelve years.
He became the deputy director of the
Directorate General of Military Intelligence in 2007.
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.
Following incidents that occurred under
Gustavo González López
Gustavo Enrique González López is the former Venezuelan Minister of Popular Power for Interior, Justice and Peace (MPPRIJP) in 2015-2016 and is the current director of the National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).
Career
Gustavo González L� ...
's leadership while director of SEBIN, Christopher Figuera was named his replacement on 30 October 2018.
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.
Cristopher Figuera fled to the US after the events.
In an interview with ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
,'' he gave declarations on illicit gold deals by the Maduro administration, on
Hezbollah
Hezbollah (; ar, حزب الله ', , also transliterated Hizbullah or Hizballah, among others) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, led by its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. Hezbollah's paramil ...
cells in Venezuela and on the extent of Cuban influence in the military.
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.
The US Treasury Department says the security officials are responsible for torture, human rights abuses, and extrajudicial killings.
Following the 30 April 2019 uprising, the governments of the US (May 2019) and Canada (June 2019) removed sanctions against Cristopher Figuera.
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".
References
Living people
People of the Crisis in Venezuela
Venezuelan soldiers
Venezuelan defectors
1963 births
{{Crisis in Venezuela, state=collapsed