Featured image: Armored vehicle advancing in the narrow streets of La Vega (Caracas) during a police deployment to neutralize El Coqui gang. Photo courtesy of RedRadioVE.
A police deployment was carried out this Saturday, June 12, in La Vega parish of Caracas, by members of the Special Actions Forces (FAES) and Special Tactical Operations Unit.
In social networking sites, residents of the area indicated that the police officers moved in to the place and were deployed in different areas; and also on the roof of building 1 and 2 in La Vega.
The deployment began at 5:00 am Caracas time and lasted several hours, finishing in the afternoon in an area comprising part of Cota 905 neighborhood where El Coqui gang has gained notoriety in recent years.
#EnDesarrollo 👉 En estos momentos, la PNB junto a sus unidades operativas se despliegan en la parroquia La Vega para proteger y liberar a nuestro pueblo de la delincuencia organizada.
— MPPRIJP (@MijpVzla) June 12, 2021
It should be noted that in recent days the La Vega sector has been the scene of confrontation between criminal gangs that have attacked the residents of this working class area of Caracas, generating an environment of terror.
The violence and anxiety caused by criminal gangs in the capital has been in the agenda of the latest sessions of the National Assembly (AN), which has denounced the financing of these gangs by groups linked to the Venezuelan opposition, to generate a situation of terror ahead of the November 21 regional elections.
RELATED CONTENT: Venezuelan Extremist Opposition Finances Criminal Gangs
El reforzamiento progresivo de los Cuadrantes de Paz nos ha permitido acciones como el despliegue de este #12Jun en la parroquia La Vega de Caracas. En articulación perfecta con el Poder Popular organizado, la paz volverá a esta zona del Oeste de la ciudad#HéroesDeVerdad pic.twitter.com/6PX0x3tIIa
— Carmen Meléndez (@gestionperfecta) June 12, 2021
During the Assembly session of June 8, the president of the Permanent Commission of Internal Policy of the AN, Pedro Carreño, showed photographs of former deputy Gilber Caro with alleged members of criminal groups.
This same complaint was made by the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, who warned that certain sectors of the opposition were “putting in a lot of money to buy criminal gangs to generate violence in poorer neighborhoods.”
¡Contamos con mujeres y hombres formados para la Seguridad Ciudadana y la Paz! Nuestro deber es garantizar la tranquilidad de las familias, así que no permitiremos más hostigamiento por parte de bandas delincuenciales, como ha sido el caso de La Vega
¡Adelante, #HéroesDeVerdad! pic.twitter.com/8kFZiWoXu7
— Carmen Meléndez (@gestionperfecta) June 12, 2021
“Then don’t cry, don’t scream, when justice is done in accordance with the Constitution,” added the president. ”Don’t go out and say that you are being persecuted politically, to get a statement from Almagro.”
38 detained, 2 law enforcements officers injured
Venezuelan Minister for the Interior, Justice and Peace, Carmen Meléndez, informed that 38 persons had been detained in the security operations, and the detainees are guaranteed their human rights. Two law enforcement officials were also injured during the operations, and they are reported to be in stable condition.
1/3 🔴La Almiranta en Jefa,Carmen Meléndez, informó que en el despliegue de la PNB en La Vega fueron detenidas 38 personas e incautadas varias armas de fuego, entre ellas: 3 pistolas, 3 fusiles, 1 fusil francotirador, 1 subametralladora, 2 rifles.#HéroesDeVerdad pic.twitter.com/WwiDQRp3qy
— MPPRIJP (@MijpVzla) June 12, 2021
”The operation has been a success, and most importantly, peace is being maintained in different sectors of La Vega,” she said, adding that ”we will be able to guarantee peace for our people at all strategic points.”
The minister specified that 1,400 law enforcement officials of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) participated in the security operation, in which three pistols of different calibers, three rifles, a sniper rifle, one machine gun, two 22-caliber rifles, two kilograms of C4, and eight explosive devices were seized, along with detonating cords, two fragmentary grenades, 202 rounds of ammunition, over four kilograms of drugs (marijuana and cocaine), two vehicles, a motorcycle, eight portable radios and two binoculars.
2/3🔴 2 kilos de explosivos de composición C4, 8 cordones detonantes, 2 granadas fragmentarias, 202 municiones de diferentes calibres#HéroesDeVerdad pic.twitter.com/MmtsHedfzm
— MPPRIJP (@MijpVzla) June 12, 2021
”We are doing visible work to comply with our promise to our people,” she said, reiterating that the human rights of the detainees are guaranteed, and for this she thanked the actions of the prosecutors of the Public Ministry participating in the operation.
Minister for Defense: peace will prevail
The Minister for Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, referred to the police deployment carried out in La Vega saying that ”peace will prevail.”
Estas expresiones criminales son deliberadamente financiados por estructuras no gubernamentales y dinero proveniente del narcotráfico y otras fuentes, con el fin desestabilizar a través del amedrentamiento, el acoso a la población y a los órganos policiales. ¡Se impondrá la paz! https://t.co/nc66dG8P21
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) June 12, 2021
In a message posted on his Twitter account, the military chief wrote that the criminal gangs that operate in this area and that in recent weeks have conducted acts of armed violence ”are deliberately financed by non-governmental structures and money from drug trafficking and other sources, in order to destabilize the country through intimidation and harassment of civilians and the police forces.”
Featured image: Armored vehicle moving through the narrow streets of La Vega (Caracas) during a police deployment to neutralize El Coqui gang. Photo courtesy of RedRadioVE.
(RedRadioVE) by Ana Perdigón, with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
