EspañolThe icon of the Venezuelan opposition and pilot Óscar Perez became famous after hijacking a helicopter last year, flying over the capital of Caracas and disappearing into the mountains. Seven months later, Nicolás Maduro’s regime found where he was hiding.
This Monday, January 15, Pérez posted videos saying that he was negotiating his surrender because he was surrounded by officials. Then, minutes later, he appeared on a live stream, visibly wounded and claiming the regime wanted to kill him.
During the raid, the regime not only militarized the entire area but also cut off press access. After hours of shooting, unofficial information emerged that Pérez had been captured and killed.
The twitter handle @EquilibrioGV, run by friends of Óscar Pérez, tweeted that they “do not know what the current situation is,” and that they have not heard from him.
#AHORA En grupos policiales y de bomberos aseguran que dieron de baja al piloto Oscar Pérez. Las conversaciones en la red social Whatsapp aseguran que tras intenso tiroteo, ese sería el resultado. Autoridades no confirman. No ha colgado más videos. Buscando confirmación #15ene
— Elyangelica González (@ElyangelicaNews) January 15, 2018
LO ÚLTIMO: Colegas presentes aseguran que las fuerzas del régimen masacraron a Oscar Pérez y a su grupo de resistencia.
— Maibort Petit (@maibortpetit) January 15, 2018
#BREAKING Police forces assure they have taken down Oscar Pérez. Conversations via whatsapp indicate that following an intense shootout, he was eventually subdued. Authorities have not confirmed. No new videos from him. Awaiting confirmation.
THIS JUST IN: My colleagues on sight confirm that authorities have massacred Oscar Pérez and his group of dissidents.
Cuentas manejadas por compañeros directos de Oscar Perez.
No sabemos nada de la situación actual, llevan minutos sin reportarse.
— Oscar Perez (@EquilibrioGV) January 15, 2018
Journalists also reported the arrival of wounded person to a hospital in Caracas.
#AHORA Hasta el momento han ingresado 8 heridos al hospital Pérez Carreño procedentes del Junquito, lugar donde aún se adelanta la operación contra el grupo de la llamada “resistencia” liderada por Oscar Pérez. Aún se desconoce su estado de salud #15ene
— Elyangelica González (@ElyangelicaNews) January 15, 2018
#BREAKING 8 wounded so far at Pérez Carreño hospital from the operation in Junquito to detain or subdue the group led by Oscar Pérez calling themselves the “resistence”. Their condition is still unknown at this time. Jan 15.
Diosdado Cabello, one of the most powerful men in the Maduro regime, said at least 1o police officers were wounded in the exchange, three of them critically. Pérez himself posted that his assailants opened fire after he tried to peacefully turn himself in.
“If anyone had any doubts, here we are,” he said. “Shots fired. We are staying low but we are already negotiating with the officials,” he said.
In the video, Pérez said he would not respond with gunfire because he knew many of the men that were shooting at him.
“We are on the new road in El Junquito, we are negotiating, we do not want to fight the officers who we consider our friends. We are patriots, we are nationalists, and we fight with total conviction,” he said.
Minutes later, Pérez published another video saying goodbye.
“I want to ask Venezuela not to lose heart, to fight, to go out into the street,” he said. “It’s time for us to be free and you are in power now.” He also mentioned his children. “We have done this for you and for all the children of Venezuela.”
https://twitter.com/ElFrancesLoco/status/952894111064973312
ÚLTIMA HORA | VIDEO – Óscar Pérez denuncia que régimen de Maduro lanza fuerte arremetida en su contra y su grupo.
Está herido tras estallido de una granada. pic.twitter.com/O2NRjx5cVq— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) January 15, 2018
BREAKING NEWS | VIDEO – Óscar Pérez denounces onslaught against him and his men. He was wounded by a grenade during the exchange.
ÚLTIMA HORA | VIDEO – Óscar Pérez en medio de enfrentamientos con fuerzas militares del régimen de Maduro: "Me están matando. Dios es nuestro escudo y nosotros somos su espada" pic.twitter.com/q75M1kmoF4
— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) January 15, 2018
BREAKING NEWS | VIDEO – Óscar Pérez during shootout with Maduro regime military forces: “They are killing me. God is my shield, and I am His sword.”
#ATENCIÓN Funcionarios venezolanos disparan contra el equipo de Óscar Pérez: En el fondo sublevados gritan "alto al fuego" #15Ene https://t.co/zA3J4ypEI0 pic.twitter.com/lq5JWBLfYa
— NTN24 Venezuela (@NTN24ve) January 15, 2018
#Atention Venezuelan officers fired shots at Oscar Pérez: In the background you can hear shouls of “cease fire”.
Last June, Pérez hijacked a helicopter from the Criminal Investigations Body and used it to bomb the Homeland Peace and Justice Ministry and the Supreme Court of Justice. He was wanted also for disobeying orders in San Pedro de Los Altos, in the Guaicaipuro municipality of Marandina on December 18.
Pérez is an officer of the Criminal Investigations Body, which belongs to the Special Assignments Brigade — a police unit trained to carry out anti-terrorism missions, reconnaissance, hostage rescues, detention of dangerous criminals and other special assignments. It’s made up of small groups of highly trained police, armed with specialized equipment.
On June 28, Minister of the Interior Justice and Peace Néstor Luis Reverol asked Interpol to start a search for the police officer.
Following the raid, Deputy Rosmit Mantilla said he plans to denounce “the execution of Oscar Pérez in real time” before the international community.
La dirigencia política de este país, somos las voces de eco de la desgracia que hoy vive nuestra #Venezuela. Debemos alentar a la comunidad internacional de la ejecución en tiempo real de Oscar Pérez. #SOS
— Rosmit Mantilla (@RosmitMantilla) January 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/RichardBlancoOf/status/952930231085686789
We the political leaders of this country echo the cry of anguish that Venezuela shouts today. We must alert the international community of the real time execution of Oscar Pérez. #SOS
During the assault on Peréz and his men, his mother uploaded a video begging them not to kill her son.
URGENTE | VIDEO – Madre de Óscar Pérez denuncia que régimen de Maduro quiere asesinar a su hijo: "se quiere entregar y no lo dejan" pic.twitter.com/yDVrWqK6OC
— AlbertoRodNews (@AlbertoRodNews) January 15, 2018
URGENT VIDEO -Mother of Oscar Pérez denounces that the Maduro regime wants to kill her son: “he is trying to turn himself in and they won’t let him”
In December 2017, Maduro had ordered “lead” — as in bullets — for those who rebelled against him.
“Wherever they may appear I have ordered the Armed Forces to attack the terrorist groups,” he said. “It’s lead and bullets for them, zero tolerance for the terrorist groups that threaten the peace of the Republic.”
4 de febrero 1992, Chávez se entrega y le garantizan la vida. 15 de enero de 2018 Óscar Perez pide entregarse y negociar, le garantizaron plomo
— Isnardo Bravo (@isnardobravo) January 15, 2018
on February 4, 1992 Chávez surrendered and they guaranteed his life. On January 15, 2018 Oscar Pérez asks to turn himself in and negotiate, and they guarantee him a bullet.
Marino Alvarado tweeted for the public attorney’s office saying that: “It is the duty of the state to guarantee the right to life.”
Es grave denuncia de piloto Oscar Pérez quien públicamente ha expresado quiere entregarse y al parecer fuerzas del gobierno prefieren acabar con su vida. Es deber del estado garantizar el derecho a la vida @Defensoria_Vzla @MinpublicoVE
— Marino Alvarado B (@marinoalvarado) January 15, 2018
Silencio del "fiscal" de la dictadura Tarek William Saab en caso Oscar Pérez es aval para la comisión de abusos contra los #DDHH en procedimiento policial.
Ministerio Público y @Defensoria_Vzla tienen deben velar por la vida e integridad de Oscar Pérez y acompañantes— PROVEA (@_Provea) January 15, 2018
This is a big infraction to have killed Oscar Pérez after he publicly stated that he wanted to turn himself in and federal forces took his life anyway. The state has a responsibility to guarantee the right to life.
Former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana also echoed the news.
#AHORA: Usuarios en redes sociales reportan que no pueden acceder a páginas webs de noticia, como LaPatilla y ElPitazo. Gobierno habría bloqueado acceso a estas via CANTV y Movilnet. #Venezuela
— Christopher Abreu (@AbreuReport) January 15, 2018
#BREAKING: Social media users report that they are unable to access news websites including LaPatilla and ElPitazo, claiming that the government has blocked them through CANTV and Movilnet.
Videos from nearby areas
After blocking press access, amateur videos began to appeaar online showing what happened nearby.
https://twitter.com/maryorinmendez/status/952916333091487744
Video of nearby area during shootout with Oscar Pérez.
https://twitter.com/TemplarioResisT/status/952923523261091842
#Jan15 Neighbors in El Junquito reported ambulances after intense shootout during campaign agaisnt Oscar Pérez.