Burned Alive - Blog Posts

Vigilante justice can often be a very dangerous thing. People can be accused of crimes that they did not commit, leading to unjustified revenge. Furthermore, vigilante mobs often consider bloodthirsty violence as a method of revenge for petty non-violent crimes.

In May of 2016, 42-year-old Venezuelan chef, Robert Bernal, fell victim to unjust vigilantes. An elderly man accused Robert of stealing the equivalent of $5 from his pocket while Robert was on his way to work. Following this accusation, a group of men started to beat a bewildered Robert until he was semi-unconscious. While coming around from the brutal beating, a man poured gasoline over Robert’s head and body and set him on fire.

Robert was a well built man from serving years in the army. He spent much of his free time cooking for his friends and family - it was his passion, they would say. He was a deeply religious man; just the night before his death, he sent his loved ones text messages hoping that God filled their day with blessings.

“These guys I work with every day had turned into demons. I could hear the man’s flesh crackling and popping. When I put the fire out, they threw bottles at my head,” said Alejandro Delgado, the only passerby that attempted to help Robert as he was up in flames. Robert was eventually taken to hospital where he perished from his severe burns. Disturbing footage of the event was uploaded online, where people praised the ruthless and cowardly act. 

Before he passed away, he told his wife and children that he was innocent of the crime he was killed for. But even if he was guilty, the punishment certainly doesn’t fit the crime. His brutal murder highlights the growing problem of vigilante and mob justice in Venezuela.