[2] He was arrested in November 2004 and accused by the Hugo Chávez government of the violence that took place in Caracas during April 2002, under the order of pro-Chávez judge Maikel Moreno.
[5][6] On 16 April 2012, former Supreme Tribunal of Justice judge Eladio Aponte Aponte wrote an open letter from San José, Costa Rica, in which he confessed having received orders and being pressured by president Hugo Chávez to convict Simonovis without rights, as well as Caracas Metropolitan Police officers Henry Vivas and Lázaro Forero, applying the maximum sentence for their participation during the Llaguno Overpass events.
[12] During an interview for Associated Press, Simonovis explained how during his escape he had to jump a 25 meters wall, break his ankle monitor, ride a boat whose motor later broke down and piloted a plane to get to United States.
[2] Leopoldo López, opposition leader that also was released on 30 April, contacted US and other foreign government officials to request help, and grant passage and entry to Simonovis.
[2] As he arrived in Washington, Simonovis said that he would work with U.S. authorities to investigate cases of corruption, drug trafficking and alleged links to terrorist groups by Venezuelan officials.