FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEVEN T HC IRC UIT FEB 9, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 06- 13499 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ A ge nc yN os . A 97- 925- 671 A 97- 925- 672 O R L A N D O C A S T E L L A N O S , C A R M E N Z A G A B Y C A S T E L L A N O S , D A V I D A L E J A N D R O P E N A - O R O Z C O , D I E G O F E RN A N D O C A S T E L L A N O S , P e titio n e r s , v ersu s U .S . A T T O RN E Y G E N E R A L , R e s p o n d e n t.

________________________ P e t i t i on f orR e vi e w of

aD e c i s i on of

the B o a r do f I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls

_________________________ ( F e b r u ar y 9, 2007) B efo re A N D E R S O N , B A R K E T T an dP R Y O R , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M:2

O r l a ndo C a s t e l l a nos , on be ha l f of hi m s e l f , hi s w i f e , C a rm e nz aG aby C a s t e l l anos , a nd the i rtw o s ons , D a vi d A l e j a ndr o P e naO r oz c o a nd D i e go F e rna ndo C a s t e l l anos , a l l c i t i z e ns of V e ne z ue l a , pe t i t i ons f

orr e vi e w of

the or de rof

the B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s tha ta f f i rm e d the de c i s i on of

a n I m m i gr a t i on J udge t o de nyhi s appl i c a t i on f ora s y l um a nd w i thhol di ng of r e m ova l unde rthe I m m i gr a t i on a nd N a t i ona l i tyA c ta nd r e l i e f unde rthe U ni t e d N a t i ons C onve nt i on A gai nstT orture, 8 U . S . C . § 1 23 1(b)(3). T he B oard of Im m i grat i on A pp ea l s deni ed C ast el l an o s’ s ap p l i cat i o n b ecau se i tco n cl u d edth ath e h adn o tsu ffered p ast pe r s e c ut i on a nd di d notha ve aw e l l - f ounde d f e a rof f utur e pe r s e c ut i on i f

he re turned t o V enez uel a bec ause re l ocat i on w as po ss i bl e. B ec ause subst ant i al e vi de nc e s upport s the de c i s i on of the B oa r d of

I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s , w e de nythe p e titio n . I . B AC KG RO UN D O n M a y1 9 , 2 0 0 4 , C a s te lla n o s a n dh is f a m ilyw e r e s e rv e dw ith n o tic e s to appear f or havi ng re m ai ned i n the U ni t ed S t at es for aperi od l on ger than autho ri ze d. O n O ct ob er22 , 20 04 , C as t el l anos and h i s f am i l y app eare d b ef

ore an Im m i grat i on Judg e, adm i tt ed the al l egat i on s i n the no t i ce s t o app ear and conceded re m ov abi l i ty. C as t el l anos re qu es t ed as ylum , w i thh ol di ng of re m ov al , and rel i ef u n d e rth e C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rtu r e .3

C a s t e l l a nos w a s the onl yw i tne s s a tthe he a r i ng be f or e the I m m i gr a t i on J udge . C a s t e l l a nos t e s t i f i e d tha the w a s born i n V e ne z ue l aa nd ha d l a s te nt e r e d the U ni t ed S t at es on A ug ust18 , 20 03 . H e t es t i fi ed thathe had com e t o the U ni t ed S t a t e s t o s e e k a s y l um be c aus e he ha d be e n pe r s e c ut e d i n V e ne z ue l aon a c c ountof hi s pol i t i ca l op i ni on . In supp ortof hi s c l ai m for a sy l um , C as t el l anos t es t i fi ed that he w a s abus i ne s s m a n i nvol ve d i n i nt e rna t i ona l tr a de a nd he ope nl yoppos e d the r e g im e o f

H u g o C h a v e z . C a s te lla n o s te s tif ie dth a t a s ar e s u lt o f

h is p a rtic ip a tio n in m ar ches , stri kes, and m ee t i ng s i n o pp osi t i on t o the C havez gov ernm ent , he w as pers ec ut ed by m em bers of the B ol i vari an C i rc l es , w hi ch C as t el l anos t es t i fi ed w er e p r o - C h a v e z o r g a n iz a tio n s . T he al l eged perse cut i on abou tw hi ch C as t el l anos t es t i fi ed consi st ed of three i nci dent s. F i rs t , du ri ng a nat i on al stri ke i n w hi ch C as t el l anos part i ci pat ed that be ga n i n D e c e m be r2002 a nd l a s t e d f or63 da y s , C a s t e l l a nos r e c e i ve d thr e a t e ni ng t e l e phone c a l l s f

r om m e m be r s of

the B ol i var i a n C i r c l e s w ho s t a t e d tha tC a s t e l l a nos w oul d ha ve t o c ha nge hi s pol i t i c a l w a y s orf a c e the c ons e que nc e s . C a s t e l l a nos t e s t i f i e d tha the r e c e i ve d the s e c a l l s a l m os tda i l ydur i ng D e c e m be ra nd tha the unde r s t ood the c ons e que nc e s t o be de a th. S e c ond, on J a nua ry8, 2003, C a s t e l l a nos te s tif ie dth a t h is b u s in e s s w a s v a n d a liz e db ym e m b e r s o f th e B o liv a r ia n C ir c le s . T he vand al s a tt em pt ed t o force C as t el l anos t o o pen the bu si ness du ri ng the stri ke, c a l l e d C a s t e l l a nos atr a i t or , a nd r e f e rr e d t o hi m byna m e . T he va nda l s di d not4

phy s i c a l l yha rm C a s t e l l a nos be c aus e hi s ne i ghbor s i nt e rve ne d. T hi r d, C a s t e l l a nos t e s t i f i e d tha t , on A ugus t10, 2003, he w a s i nt e r c e pt e d on hi s w a yhom e f r om the o f f ic e b yth r e e a rm e dm e m b e r s o f th e B o liv a r ia n C ir c le s . H e w a s f o r c e dto e x it h is c a r , wa s b e a t e n , a n dwa s warn e dt o c e a s e h i s a c t i v i t i e s o rh e wo u l db e k i l l e d . On e a c h o c c a s io n , C a s te lla n o s ’s h a r a s s e r s th r e a te n e dth a t C a s te lla n o s ’s f a m ilyw o u ld a l s o pa ythe c ons e que nc e s . A l though C a s t e l l a nos r e port e d the i nc i de nt s t o the author i t i e s , no a c t i on w a s t a ke n. H e c a m e t o the U ni t e d S t a t e s e i ghtda y s a f t e rthe A u g u s t 1 0 , 2 0 0 3 , b e a tin g . T he I m m i gr a t i on J udge de ni e d the appl i c a t i on f orr e l i e f . T he I m m i gr a t i on Ju d g e sp eci fi cal l y fo u n dth atC ast el l an o s h adn o tsu ffered p ersecu t i o n i n th e p ast a n dd idn o t h a v e aw e ll- f o u n d e df e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n if

h e r e tu rn e dto V e n e z u e la . O n appe a l , the B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s a f f i rm e d the de c i s i on of

the I m m i gr a t i on J udge . I n as e pa r a t e opi ni on, the B oa r d c onc l ude d tha tC a s t e l l a nos h a dn o t s u f

f e r e dp a s t p e r s e c u tio n a n dh a dn o t e s tab lis h e dth a t h e c o u ldn o t r e lo c a te w ith in V e n e z u e la . I I . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e v ie w o n lyth e d e c is io n o f th e B o a r do f

I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls , e x c e p t to th e e x t e n tth a ti te x p r e s s l ya d o p t s th e o p i n i o n o f th e I m m i g r a t i o n J u d g e . S e e Al N ajj arv. A shcr oft , 25 7 F . 3d 12 62 , 12 84 (11th C i r. 20 01 ). Insofar a s the B oard adop t s the re as on i ng of the Im m i grat i on Judg e, w e a l so re vi ew thatdeci si on . S ee5

P ra do -G on za l ez v. IN S , 75 F . 3d 63 1, 63 2 (11 th C i r. 19 96 ). W e r evi ew fa ctual d e te rm in a tio n s u n d e rth e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e te s t. S e p u lv e d av . U .S . A tt’yG e n ., 40 1 F . 3d 12 26 , 12 30 (11th C i r. 20 05 ). W e m ustaf fi rm the deci si on of the B oard of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s i f i ti s “ s upport e d byr e a s onabl e , s ubs t a nt i a l , a nd pr oba t i ve evi dence on the re cord consi dere d as aw ho l e. ” I d. “ U nd erthi s hi gh l y def er ent i al st andard of revi ew , the [B oard] ’ s dec i si on can b e r ever se d o nl y i f the evi dence ‘c o m p e ls ’ ar e a s o n ab le f a c t f in d e rto f in do th e rw is e .” I d . ( c ita tio n o m itte d ) . I I I . DI S CUS S I ON C a s t e l l a nos m a ke s tw o a r gum e nt s on appe a l . H e a r gue s f i r s ttha the e s t abl i s he d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on on a c c ountof apr ot e c t e d gr ound. H e a r gue s s e c ond th a t h e e s tab lis h e daw e ll- f o u n d e df e a ro f p e r s e c u tio n if

h e r e tu rn e dto V e n e z u e la . E a c h a r g u m e n t f

a ils .

“ [P ] er se cut i on i s an extre m e c on ce pt , re qu i ri ng m ore than few i sol at ed in c id e n ts o f

v e rb a l h a r a s s m e n t o rin tim id a tio n .” I d . a t 1 2 3 1 ( q u o ta tio n o m itte d ) .

“ [ M ] e r e ha r a s s m e ntdoe s nota m ountt o pe r s e c ut i on. ” I d. T he B oa r d of I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s c onc l ude d tha tthe i nc i de nt s of w hi c h C a s t e l l a nos c om pl a i ne d di d notr i s e t o the l e ve l of pe r s e c ut i on. T o gr a ntC a s t e l l a nos ’ s pe t i t i on on the gr ound tha the e s t abl i s he d pa s tpe r s e c ut i on, w e m us tc onc l ude tha tthe e v id e n c e c o m p e ls th e o p p o s ite c o n c lu s io n . S e e id . a t 1 2 3 0 .6

S ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e s upport s the c onc l us i on of the B oa r d of

I m m i gr a t i on A ppe a l s tha tC a s t e l l a nos di d nots uf f e rpa s tpe r s e c ut i on. T he thr e a t e ni ng t e l e phone ca l l s and vand al i sm t o C as t el l anos’ s busi ness do no tam ou ntt o m ore than ha r a s s m e nt . C a s t e l l a nos w a s noti nj ur e d, a nd he a dm i tt e d tha t“ the e ve nt s w e r e not thatbad. ” A l tho ug h C as t el l anos suff er ed a physi ca l att ac k and i nj ury, the re cord d o e s n o t c o m p e l th e c o n c lu s io n th a t th is a tta c ka m o u n te dto p e r s e c u tio n . S u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e s u p p o rts th e c o n c lu s io n o f th e B o a r do f

I m m ig r a tio n A p p e a ls th a t th is o n e in c id e n t o f ab u s e w a s n o t s o s e v e r e th a t it r e q u ir e dm e d ic a l a tte n tio n . S ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e a l s o s upport s the c onc l us i on of the B oa r d of Im m i grat i on A pp ea l s thatC as t el l anos di d n othave an obj ec t i vel y r ea sonabl e f ear of f utur e pe r s e c ut i on be c aus e C a s t e l l a nos c oul d r e l oc a t e t o a nothe rpa rtof V e ne z ue l a . S e e 8 C . F . R . § 208. 13( b) ( 2) . C a s t e l l a nos a s s e rt s tha the w oul d be p e r s e c u te dw h e r e v e rh e r e s id e din V e n e z u e la , b u t th e r e is s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e to the contrary . T he re cord cont ai ns evi dence thatthe B ol i vari an C i rc l es , w hi ch C a s t e l l anos a l l e ge s w e r e r e s pons i bl e f orhi s m i s tr e a tm e nt , a r e s m a l l , aut onom ous grou ps w ho w ou l d n othave the desi re or capabi l i ty of c oo rdi nat i ng ef fort s t o tra ck h im th r o u g h o u t V e n e z u e la . A l though the r e c or d c ont a i ns e vi de nc e of s om e na t i ona l pr om ot i on of the B o liv a r ia n C ir c le s th r o u g h ato ll- f r e e n u m b e re s tab lis h e dto d is s e m in a te i nf orm a t i on on f

orm i ng ne w gr oups a nd a n A s s i s t a ntN a t i ona l C oor di na t or , the7

e vi de nc e doe s notc om pe l the c onc l us i on tha ta ny one e xe r c i s e s c e ntr a l c ontr ol of th e B o liv a r ia n C ir c le s . E a c h C ir c le is ag r a s s r o o ts o r g a n iz a tio n w ith typ ic a lly se ven t o el even m em bers l ed by F i rs tand S ec on d C oo rdi nat ors. T here w er e m ore than 7 00 0 C i rc l es i n 2 00 1. T here i s e ven sub st ant i al evi dence thatm ostB ol i vari an C i rc l es ar e e ng aged pri m ar i l y i n h um ani t ar i an w ork. T he re cord cont ai ns evi dence th a t ap p r o x im a te ly2 0 0 B o liv a r ia n C ir c le le a d e r s m e t o n o n e o c c a s io n to r a llyin supp ortof P re si dentC havez, bu tthatevi dence does notcom pel the concl usi on that C as t el l anos w ou l d b e unabl e t o rel ocat e i n V enez uel a. A l tho ug h the re cord es t abl i shes thatC as t el l anos w as m i stre at ed by se vera l m em bers of on e or m ore lo c a l C ir c le s , th e r e c o r dd o e s n o t e s tab lis h th a t h is “n o to r ie tya s a n a c tiv is t w o u ld out l a s t ” hi s l e ngthyabs e nc e f r om V e ne z ue l as uc h tha the w oul d be s i ngl e d outf or p e r s e c u tio n w h e r e v e rh e r e lo c a te d . S e p u lv e d a , 4 0 1 F .3 da t 1 2 3 2 . C a s t e l l a nos ’ s c l a i m s f

orw i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l a nd r e l i e f

unde rthe C onve nt i on A ga i ns tT ortur e a l s o f a i l . B e c aus e C a s t e l l a nos di d not“ m e e tthe

‘ w e l l - f ounde d f e a r ’ s t a nda r d f

ora s y l um , i ti s af

ort i or i tha the c a nnotm e e tthe w i thhol di ng of

r e m ova l s t a nda r d. ” D - M uhum e d v. U . S . A tt ’ yG e n. , 388 F . 3d 814, 8 1 9 (1 1 th C i r. 2 0 0 4 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i tt ed ). L i k ew i se, C ast el l an o s d i dn o test ab l i sh th a t it w a s “m o r e lik e lyth a n n o t” th a t h e w o u ldb e to rtu r e dif h e w e r e r e tu rn e dto V e n e z u e la . 8 C .F .R . § 2 0 8 .1 6 ( c ) ( 2 ) . P E T I T I ON DE NI E D.