El Junquito raid

{{Short description|2018 police raid in Caracas, Venezuela, to capture Óscar Pérez}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| name = El Junquito massacre

| partof = the Crisis in Venezuela

| image = Operation Gideon.png

| caption = Government forces fire a rocket launcher at Óscar Pérez's hideout

| scope =

| type =

| date = {{Start date|2018|01|15|df=y}}

| place = El Junquito, Capital District, Venezuela

| coordinates =

| map_type =

| map_size =

| map_caption =

| map_label =

| territory =

| result = Death of Óscar Alberto Pérez and others

| status =

| combatants_header =

| combatant1 = Venezuelan government

{{flagicon image|Flag of the Bolivarian Army (Venezuela).svg}} Venezuelan Army
{{flagicon image|Flag of the National Guard of Venezuela.svg}} Venezuelan National Guard
{{flagicon image|Flag of SEBIN.gif}} SEBIN
{{flagicon image|Bolivarian National Police seal.png}} Bolivarian National Police

Supported by:

Collectives

| combatant2 = Venezuelan rebels
Supported by:

Opposition civilians

| combatant2a =

| commander1 = {{flagdeco|Venezuela|state}} Nicolás Maduro
{{flagdeco|Venezuela|state}} Néstor Reverol
{{flagdeco|Venezuela|state}} Vladimir Padrino López

| commander2 = Óscar Alberto Pérez {{KIA}}

| units1 =

| units2 =

| units3 =

| strength1 = ≈500

| strength2 = 13

| casualties1 = 3 dead, 8 injured

| casualties2 = 7 dead, 6 arrested

| notes =

| campaignbox =

| conflict =

}}

The El Junquito raid (codenamed Operation Gideon) was a police and military raid that occurred on 15 January 2018 in El Junquito, Capital District, Venezuela, which resulted in the death of rebel Óscar Alberto Pérez and members of his movement.{{cite news |last=Romero-Castillo |first=Evan |date=19 January 2018 |title=Maduro and the "El Junquito massacre" |language=es |work=Deutsche Welle |url=http://www.dw.com/es/maduro-y-la-masacre-de-el-junquito/a-42213860 |access-date=20 January 2018}}{{cite news|title=Four days after the El Junquito massacre, relatives await the release of the bodies|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2018/01/19/a-cuatro-dias-de-la-masacre-de-el-junquito-familiares-esperan-que-entreguen-los-cadaveres/|access-date=20 January 2018|work=La Patilla|date=19 January 2018|language=es-ES}}

Background

= 2017 Caracas helicopter attack =

For years, Venezuela has suffered from a political and economic crisis following the presidency of Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro. Óscar Alberto Pérez has stated that, while working as a law enforcement agent, he witnessed deep levels of corruption within the Bolivarian government's structure, experiencing the collaboration between state authorities and pro-government gangs known as the colectivos in acts of theft and extortion while also observing the movement of cocaine by government officials with impunity. He singled out Néstor Reverol as an official who hampered his investigations into the matters.{{cite news |last=Casey |first=Nicholas |date=25 January 2018 |title=Venezuela's most-wanted rebel shared his story, just before being gunned down |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/oscar-perez-death-venezuela-helicopter-attack-caracas-muerte-suspendida-a8177051.html}}

Pérez expressed in interviews how he had thought about incorporating his helicopter skills in a protest for some time. Finally in mid-June 2017, Pérez's brother was murdered near Carabobo Park in Caracas. It was determined that his brother was stabbed to death while being robbed of his cell phone.{{Cite news|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/director-muerte-suspendida-oscar-perez-ayudaba-ninos-necesitados_190596|title=Director de Muerte Suspendida: Óscar Pérez ayudaba a niños necesitados|last=González|first=Tahiana|date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional|access-date=18 January 2018|language=es|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118123947/http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/director-muerte-suspendida-oscar-perez-ayudaba-ninos-necesitados_190596|archive-date=18 January 2018|url-status=dead}}

Weeks later on the afternoon of 27 June 2017, a video was released showing men with assault rifles flanking Pérez, stating that "We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists. This fight is not with the rest of the state forces, it is against the tyranny of this government".{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.ve/experienciapanorama/Funcionario-del-Cicpc-se-convirtio-en-protagonista-de-una-pelicula-20151025-0041.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628015924/http://www.panorama.com.ve/experienciapanorama/Funcionario-del-Cicpc-se-convirtio-en-protagonista-de-una-pelicula-20151025-0041.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 June 2017|title=Funcionario del Cicpc se convirtió en protagonista de una película|last1=Rincón|first1=Arminda|date=25 October 2015|work=Diario Panorama|access-date=28 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.elheraldo.co/mundo/militar-roba-helicoptero-y-lanza-granadas-contra-sede-de-tsj-de-venezuela-376657|title=Militar roba helicóptero y lanza granadas contra sede de TSJ de Venezuela|date=27 June 2017|work=El Heraldo|access-date=28 June 2017|language=es}}

Hours after the video was released, Pérez was seen piloting a CICPC helicopter over the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with a banner on the side reading "350 Liberty", a reference to Article 350 of the constitution which states that "The people of Venezuela ... shall disown any regime, legislation or authority that violates democratic values, principles and guarantees or encroaches upon human rights".{{cite news |last=Goodman |first=Joshua |date=27 June 2017 |title=Maduro Says Helicopter Fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court |language=en |work=NBC 6 South Florida |url=http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Maduro-Reports-of-Alleged-Military-Uprising-in-Venezuela-431196343.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_MIBrand |url-status=live |access-date=28 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701025454/http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Maduro-Reports-of-Alleged-Military-Uprising-in-Venezuela-431196343.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_MIBrand |archive-date=1 July 2017}} While the helicopter was near the Supreme Court, gunfire was heard in the area. President Maduro stated that a military rebellion had occurred while opposition officials said that the actions were staged so Maduro could justify a crackdown on those who oppose his government and the constituent assembly.

= National Guard barracks operation =

On 18 December, Pérez successfully implemented "Operation Genesis", which resulted in the theft of 26 rifles and 3 automatic pistols from a command station of the National Guard in Los Teques, Miranda state. The surprise attack resulted in no deaths, with Pérez and about 50 other rebels gagging and tying up the National Guardsmen, ridiculing them for supporting the Bolivarian Government, asking "Why do you continue to defend drug traffickers, some real terrorists? ... Be worthy of the uniform you are wearing, you are irresponsible, traitors to the country for not doing something". The group then destroyed images of President Maduro and Hugo Chávez, Maduro's predecessor.{{Cite news |date=19 December 2017 |title=Óscar Pérez se atribuyó robo de armas a cuartel de la GNB |work=El Universal |url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/sucesos/oscar-perez-atribuyo-robo-armas-cuartel-gnb_681565 |access-date=15 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116141307/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/sucesos/oscar-perez-atribuyo-robo-armas-cuartel-gnb_681565 |archive-date=16 January 2018}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/sucesos/grupo-comando-robo-fusiles-una-comandancia-gnb-los-teques_681467|title=Grupo comando se robó 26 fusiles de una comandancia de la GNB en Los Teques|last=M. Camargo|first=Joan|date=18 December 2017|work=El Universal|access-date=15 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221163905/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/sucesos/grupo-comando-robo-fusiles-una-comandancia-gnb-los-teques_681467|archive-date=21 December 2017|url-status=dead}}

President Maduro responded, stating "Wherever they appear, I have ordered the Armed Forces, 'Lead for the terrorist groups! Lead them, compadre!' ... zero tolerance with terrorist groups that threaten with weapons the peace of the Republic."{{cn|date=February 2019}}

Operation

{{external media

|width=250px

|video1={{YouTube|id=oebumk_kRtI|title=Venezuela Attack: Pilot Oscar Pérez Last Known Footage}}{{cite news|last1=Maria Delgado|first1=Antonio|title='The order is to kill you,' Venezuelan soldiers reportedly told rebel cop before firing|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article195014944.html|access-date=17 January 2018|work=The Miami Herald|date=16 January 2018|language=en}}

}}

On 15 January 2018, the Venezuelan Army and the Venezuelan National Guard launched an operation after discovering the location of Pérez, who was held up in the El Junquito parish of Capital District. Around 4:00 AM VST (8:00 AM UTC), about 500 troops were deployed to attack Pérez and his compatriots at their location.{{Cite news|url=http://efectococuyo.com/efecto-cocuyo/investigacion-revela-lo-ocurrido-durante-las-ultimas-horas-de-oscar-perez/|title=Investigación revela lo ocurrido durante las últimas horas de Óscar Pérez|date=13 May 2018|work=Efecto Cocuyo|access-date=23 May 2018|language=es-VE}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=13 May 2018 |title="¡Nos vamos a entregar! ¡No sigan disparando! ": Reconstruyendo las últimas horas de Óscar Pérez |language=en-US |work=Bellingcat |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2018/05/13/nos-vamos-a-entregar-no-sigan-disparando-reconstruyendo-las-ultimas-horas-de-oscar-perez/ |access-date=23 May 2018}} Around 6:45 AM VST (10:45 AM UTC), Pérez released video stating that his group had been fired upon, though he mentioned that negotiations were underway.

= Siege=

File:BTR-80A VEN.jpg similar to the one used during the operation]]

By about 8:30 AM VST (12:30 PM UTC), a firefight between the two factions ensued. Pérez and his team initially resisted the attack, though once he realized they were surrounded, Pérez attempted to surrender in order to spare the lives of the rebels as well as the family living in the home. Around 9:07 AM VST (1:07 PM UTC), troops began to fire rocket-propelled grenades at the group's location. Pérez then posted a video on the internet showing his face covered in blood stating that the police had not stopped attacking his group with snipers, grenades, grenade launchers and rocket-propelled grenades, with Pérez and others saying that authorities were only there on orders to kill them.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5WUlXCXPlY|title=SIERRA OSCAR SIERRA Venezuela - January 15, 2018|website=YouTube|access-date=18 January 2018}}{{cite web |last=Zabludovsky |first=Karla |date=January 16, 2018 |title=Police Killed A Man Who Stole A Helicopter. He Put The Whole Standoff On Instagram. |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/karlazabludovsky/a-man-who-attacked-government-buildings-from-a-helicopter |access-date=18 January 2018 |website=Buzzfeed}}

During the raid, Pérez contacted several people on his phone, calling his former boss at CICPC pleading that he send staff of the attorney general and the media to provide coverage of the raid and to grant him a route for a safe surrender. Finally, a Russian-made BTR-80A was deployed to the area and arrived to the site around 11:45 VST (3:45 PM UTC), where it proceeded to fire at the rebel location.

= End of siege =

After hours of shooting, Pérez's group succumbed to the Venezuelan forces around 12:00 PM VST (4:00 PM UTC), with members of the group likely being executed by troops according to Bellingcat and Forensic Architecture. Pérez and five of his men (Daniel Enrique Soto Torres, Abraham Lugo Ramos, Jairo Lugo Ramos, José Alejandro Díaz Pimentel, Abraham Israel Agostini) were shot dead while six others were arrested. His death was confirmed by the Venezuelan Police one day later.{{cite news|last1=Charner|first=Flora|last2=Hernandez| first2= Osmary|last3= Barnes| first3=Taylor |url= http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/15/americas/venezuela-oscar-perez-dead/index.html |title=Source: Rogue Venezuelan helicopter pilot killed by police|publisher=CNN|date=16 January 2018|access-date=16 January 2018}} Pérez was reportedly observed in the morgue with three bullet wounds to the head,{{cite news |last= |first= |date=16 January 2018 |title=Fueron presuntamente detenidos tres Dgcim por divulgar foto de Óscar Pérez sin vida |language=es-VE |work=El Informador |url=http://www.elinformador.com.ve/2018/01/16/fueron-presuntamente-detenidos-tres-dgcim-por-divulgar-foto-de-oscar-perez-sin-vida/ |url-status=dead |access-date=18 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118122432/http://www.elinformador.com.ve/2018/01/16/fueron-presuntamente-detenidos-tres-dgcim-por-divulgar-foto-de-oscar-perez-sin-vida/ |archive-date=18 January 2018}} with official death certificates showing a similar pattern of shots to the head among his fallen rebels. Two days later, it was revealed that a pregnant woman and a child were also killed during the raid.{{cite news|last1=Torres|first1=Andrea|title=Relatives of Venezuela's El Junquito siege victims demand...|work=Local 10|url=https://www.local10.com/news/2018/01/17/relatives-of-venezuelas-el-junquito-siege-victims-demand-release-of-bodies/|access-date=18 January 2018}}

The police and the colectivos also suffered losses, with two officers killed and five injured while one member of a colectivo from 23 de Enero was killed. The raid was described as highly unorganized, with Venezuelan troops being observed laughing and firing indiscriminately towards Pérez's, possibly causing friendly fire incidents. Bellingcat has reported a notorious lack of coordination and professionalism among Venezuelian police during the operation as leaked wiretapped recordings reveal.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2018-05-13 |title="We are going to surrender! Stop shooting!": Reconstructing Óscar Pérez's Last Hours |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2018/05/13/we-are-going-to-surrender-stop-shooting-reconstructing-oscar-perezs-last-hours/ |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=bellingcat |language=en-GB}}

Evidence was never revealed by the Venezuelan government and the home where the rebels were discovered was quickly destroyed.

In 2019, the Spanish newspaper ABC published pictures of the corpses of the rebels that suggested gunshots at point-blank range and extrajudicial killings.{{Cite web |last=Trillo |first=Manuel |date=2019-12-12 |title=Las imágenes que prueban el asesinato de Óscar Pérez en la masacre de El Junquito en Venezuela |url=https://www.abc.es/internacional/abci-imagenes-prueban-asesinato-oscar-perez-masacre-junquito-201912121612_video.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101035319/https://www.abc.es/internacional/abci-imagenes-prueban-asesinato-oscar-perez-masacre-junquito-201912121612_video.html |archive-date=1 November 2020 |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=ABC |language=es}}

Reactions

=Domestic=

File:Protestas opositoras sobre el enfrentamiento El Junquito.jpg

The raid was met with outrage from the Venezuelan opposition and accusations of extrajudicial killing.{{cite web|url=https://www.local10.com/espanol/noticias/venezuela/venezuelan-deposed-chief-prosecutor-denounces-extrajudicial-execution-of-oscar-perez|title=Venezuelan deposed chief prosecutor denounces 'extrajudicial...|first=Andrea|last=Torres|website=www.Local10.com|access-date=18 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-01-16/rogue-ex-cop-oscar-p-rez-six-others-killed-police-venezuela|title=Rogue ex-cop Oscar Pérez, six others killed by police in Venezuela|website=PRI.org|access-date=18 January 2018}}

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro applauded the operation, describing it as being an "order fulfilled" and said that "every group that is armed and financed to bring terrorism will suffer the same fate". Some leading opposition figures including Maria Corina Machado, Antonio Ledezma and Luisa Ortega Díaz condemned his killing.{{cite web|url=https://www.terra.com.br/noticias/mundo/quem-e-o-policial-e-ator-oscar-perez-e-o-que-se-sabe-da-operacao-contra-ele-na-venezuela,9b1a3fb60981017ef670484ff2d8006al91ms63m.html|title=Quem é o policial e ator Óscar Pérez e o que se sabe da operação contra ele na Venezuela|date=15 January 2018 |publisher=terra.com.br|access-date=17 January 2018}}

=International=

The international media and some politicians and citizens all over the world defined what has happened in El Junquito as a massacre and harshly criticized Maduro and his government.

Some of the countries were: Brazil,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/partidonovo30/status/953469684686491648|title=NOVO 30 on Twitter|access-date=10 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_wCXC5ysbQ|title=EDUARDO BOLSONARO FALA SOBRE A MORTE DE ÓSCAR PÉREZ PELA DITADURA DA VENEZUELA|website=YouTube |access-date=10 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/FernandoFrancischiniBR/photos/a.125225800914708.20114.122807377823217/1412050942232181/?type=3&theater|title=Delegado Francischini|website=www.facebook.com|access-date=10 July 2018}} Colombia, with criticism from former President Andrés Pastrana,[url=http://sumarium.com/grupo-de-masones-de-ecuador-repudia-asesinato-de-su-hermano-oscar-perez/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119065803/http://sumarium.com/grupo-de-masones-de-ecuador-repudia-asesinato-de-su-hermano-oscar-perez/ |date=19 January 2018 }} Grupo de Masones de Ecuador repudia asesinato de su “hermano” Óscar Pérez]{{cite web|url=https://es.panampost.com/sabrina-martin/2018/01/15/oscar-perez-acorralado-matar/|title=Acorralado y herido, piloto Óscar Perez denuncia en vivo que régimen de Maduro lo quiere matar|date=15 January 2018|access-date=10 July 2018}} United States, with angry comments from Senator Marco Rubio,{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/marco-rubio-sobre-oscar-perez-mataron-alguien-que-habia-rendido_219116|title=Marco Rubio: Mataron a alguien que quería entregarse pacíficamente|first=El Nacional|last=Web|date=17 January 2018|access-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118181148/http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/marco-rubio-sobre-oscar-perez-mataron-alguien-que-habia-rendido_219116|archive-date=18 January 2018|url-status=dead}} Guatemala,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/gloriaalvarez85|title=Gloria Álvarez (@GloriaAlvarez85) - Twitter|website=twitter.com|access-date=10 July 2018}} Paraguay,{{cite web|url=http://contrapunto.com/noticia/masones-de-paraguay-denuncian-cruel-y-cobarde-asesinato-de-oscar-perez-181687/|title=Masones de Paraguay denuncian "cruel y cobarde asesinato" de Óscar Pérez|access-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119082947/http://contrapunto.com/noticia/masones-de-paraguay-denuncian-cruel-y-cobarde-asesinato-de-oscar-perez-181687/|archive-date=19 January 2018|url-status=dead}} Uruguay,{{cite web|url=http://www.2019.com.uy/partido-colorado-indignacion-repudio-ante-asesinato-venezuela-oscar-perez/|title=Partido Colorado: Indignación y repudio ante el asesinato en Venezuela de Oscar Pérez|date=18 January 2018|access-date=10 July 2018|archive-date=19 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120313/http://www.2019.com.uy/partido-colorado-indignacion-repudio-ante-asesinato-venezuela-oscar-perez/|url-status=dead}} Spain,{{cite web|url=https://elpais.com/internacional/2018/01/18/america/1516316276_692924.htm|title=El Pais: La Masacre de El Junquito|access-date=10 July 2018}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/sucesos/ultimo-mensaje-una-las-asesinadas-masacre-junquito_219273|title=Las últimas palabras de una de las asesinadas en la masacre de El Junquito|first=El Nacional|last=Web|date=18 January 2018|access-date=10 July 2018}} Bolivia's former president Jorge Quiroga,{{cite web|url=http://www.ntn24america.com/video/quiroga-insta-a-bolivianos-a-movilizarse-contra-el-regimen-163000|title=A Nicolás Maduro le "espera una hamaca caliente en Cuba o en una celda fría en La Haya": expresidente boliviano Jorge Quiroga|website=NTN24|access-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119084543/http://www.ntn24america.com/video/quiroga-insta-a-bolivianos-a-movilizarse-contra-el-regimen-163000|archive-date=19 January 2018|url-status=dead}} and France.{{cite web|url=http://mediapress24.fr/index.php/2018/01/18/le-cev-a-denonce-un-horrible-massacre-operationnel-contre-oscar-perez/|title=Le CEV a dénoncé un horrible massacre opérationnel contre Óscar Pérez|website=mediapress24.fr|access-date=10 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120349/http://mediapress24.fr/index.php/2018/01/18/le-cev-a-denonce-un-horrible-massacre-operationnel-contre-oscar-perez/|archive-date=19 January 2018|url-status=dead}} Additionally, the main media in Italy (including Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, Repubblica, Il Giornale) reported the news of the "massacre" on the first page for a full week.{{cite web|url=https://mondointernazionale.com/il-primo-massacro-del-2018-in-venezuela|title=Il primo massacro del 2018 in Venezuela.|date=16 January 2018|access-date=10 July 2018}}