After a seven-month manhunt, a standoff took place yesterday in a suburb of Caracas (El Junquito) between security forces and several people from Oscar Perez's group. This standoff could be followed minutely via social media until 16:11, the moment when another part of his group indicated they had lost communication with him. In his latest Instagram video a few minutes before, Oscar Perez shouts with a bloodied face "We have wounded, we have wounded, and they keep shooting at us. We're going to surrender! Stop shooting!".
The story begins June 27, 2017, when former CICPC agent Oscar Perez appeared over Caracas in a stolen police helicopter and launched an apparent attack on President Maduro's government.
Who is Oscar Perez.
Oscar Alberto Pérez (36) was born on 07-05-1981, was an inspector of the CICPC (investigative police) for the past 15 years, also a member of the Special Actions Brigade (BAE) and Chief of Air Operations. Oscar Perez is also known as an actor in an action film called Muerte Suspendida (Suspended Death) . Oscar Perez was a father and describes himself as 'I am a man who goes out without knowing if he is going back home'. He was very active on Instagram in which he displayed his knowledge of weapons in cinamatic videos.
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He gained notoriety in Venezuela when, on June 27, 2017, he stole a helicopter from the CIPC and carried out attacks over downtown Caracas. This occurred at a time when many Venezuelans had been taking to the streets for months to demonstrate against Maduro's government. During this demonstration, over 100 protesters were killed.
Perez hung from the helicopter a banner reading "Article 350, Freedom" a slogan used by protesters who oppose the ruling party.
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During his flight on June 27, Oscar Perez threw two grenades from the helicopter at the headquarters of the Superior Court, 15 shots were reportedly fired in addition. No one was injured. Shortly thereafter, the Guardia National stormed the national parliament, injuring several parliamentarians, and detaining journalists and attendees.
Oscar Perez's action came during an eventful few days. Earlier, President Maduro evoked much outrage with the statement "we will never give up, and what cannot be done with votes, we can do with weapons, we will liberate the homeland with weapons. And as the demonstrations continued in the streets, Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz (a formerly staunch ally of the government) was expelled. She eventually fled the country.
Maduro described Perez's action as an act of terrorism, Oscar Perez instantly became public enemy number one, and the same day government forces reportedly went to Perez's home to arrest him. Oscar Perez released a video on the Internet later that day explaining his action earlier that day and his plan for the future of Venezuela. He indicated that he supports the protesters and the people of Venezuela, that he is not alone and that he wants to fight for a free Venezuela.
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Óscar Pérez has been the center of doubt, criticism and inspiration from both government dissidents and protesters and the government itself over the past six months. Some believe Oscar Perez is an invention of Maduro's ruling party to distract people, but others consider him a hero.
The following months
A day later, the helicopter used by Oscar Perez will be recovered in Vargas. Only a few days later, on July 4, we hear from Perez again through a series of Instagram videos. He indicates having made an emergency landing, being in good health "we will be there to defend our people.
After a lull, Perez appeared in public again for the first time on July 13. This was during a demonstration in Plaza Altamira (downtown Caracas). After a brief statement accompanied by several masked men, Perez quickly disappeared on ready motorcycles. In the months that followed, Perez appeared only in some exclusive interviews and through posts on his Instagram and Twitter account.
Under the name Operation Genesis, Perez appears in a video on Dec. 18. He indicates having taken control of a National Guard post near San Pedro de Los Altos. It would later be revealed that, among other things, 26 machine guns were taken during this action. On Dec. 30, Perez's former home is set on fire; family members are injured. In a message, Perez condemned the action, indicating he would not give in.
Jan. 15, 2018
Early in the morning on Monday, January 15, 2018, reports arrived that a large-scale police operation was underway in a suburb of Caracas, El Junquito. Rather quickly, Oscar Perez published his first of eventually 14 videos of the day. He reports being surrounded by police and negotiating.
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We don't see you as enemies! We didn't do this for ourselves. We did this for you, for your children, for your families....
Oscar Perez: We are here on the new highway in El Junquito. We are negotiating. We don't want to fight these officers, in fact, we know some of them. We are patriots, we are nationalists who fight with conviction. To those of you who doubted: here we are, fighting. They opened fire on us and we are taking cover, but now we are negotiating with the officers [incomprehensible] and the officials and the press. Venezuela, don't lose hope. We continue in your name. May Almighty God and Jesus Christ accompany us in this mission.
Man with gun: The God of Israel is with us. People of Venezuela ...
In the videos that follow (see Instagram) Perez and his men reiterate having done it not for their own gain but for the people of Venezuela. He indicates that civilians are also present in the house and that they are being shot at.
In the seventh video, an Oscar Perez appears with a bloodied face.
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Oscar Perez: They shoot at us with RPGs, grenades-grenade launchers. A man is yelling at the authorities: we have families and we want to see them again! There are civilians here! We told them we wanted to surrender, but they don't want to. They want to kill us!
Several images that later appeared on social media show a grenade launcher being used.
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This video then. Yesterday, Oscar Perez indicated via online videos that he wanted to surrender voluntarily. Looks like the police had a different plan. pic.twitter.com/IjHkElP8UA
- Michel Baljet (@michelbaljet) Jan. 16, 2018
In the videos' that follow, Perez and his men repeatedly report being shot at and not shooting back. 'They don't want us to surrender. They literally want to kill us. They just told us that. Be strong. In his latest Instagram video, Oscar Perez shouts: 'We are wounded. We're wounded and they're still shooting at us. [Shouting] We're going to surrender! Stop shooting!" after that, there is silence both in the Caracas suburb and on Instagram. On Perez's Twitter account, a moment later, a message appears.
Cuentas manejadas por compañeros directos de Oscar Perez.
No sabemos nada de la situación actual, llevan minutos sin reportarse.
- Oscar Perez (@EquilibrioGV) Jan. 15, 2018
The account is managed by direct colleagues of Oscar Perez. 'We don't know anything about the current situation, they have already reported for several minutes'.
In the hours that follow, much remains unclear about the situation of Oscar Perez and his men. Until CNN reports that a senior member of the Venezuelan government, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that Oscar Perez would have been killed. In a speech later that day, Maduro indicated that 5 people were arrested, 2 police officers died and 5 police officers were injured during the actions. There is no word on the number of wounded and casualties among Oscar Perez's group. At the time of writing this post, it has not been officially announced that Oscar Perez would have died.
The photo below was allegedly leaked to various media outlets by a government employee. You would see the lifeless body of Oscar Perez.
Update 3:28 p.m.. National police confirm the death of Oscar Perez.
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