The surroundings of Cota 905, a dangerous neighborhood in Caracas, have become areas of constant confrontation between organized criminals belonging to the Carlos Revette gang, alias El Coqui, and police officials.
This Thursday, April 22, an exchange of shots was registered after a commission of the Scientific, Criminal and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) was ambushed by the criminal group on the North South highway, at the height of the El Paraíso tunnel.
Venezuelan journalist Román Camacho reported that two officials were injured inside the tunnel. In images published by the communicator, at least six antisocials are observed ambushing two CICPC vehicles that the police left on the highway when they started the confrontation and while they were waiting for support.
The police force received the order to evacuate the personnel of the zone, reason why they sent mixed commissions to the place. The wounded policemen were transferred to assistance centers.
The communicator Delmiro De Barrio published a video of the moment in which the VN4 vehicle that was transporting the wounded officials was attacked with shots from the antisocials. The units that remained on the highway were vandalized by antisocials.
Another video shows CICPC officials taking refuge behind the vehicles during the ambush.
Shootings more and more frequent
Shootings and confrontations are registered with increasing frequency in Cota 905, La Vega. They affect parishes such as El Paraíso or El Cementerio due to their proximity. The first months of this year have been marked by the population’s fear of the constant detonations.
On April 20 there was another exchange of gunfire. On that occasion, between criminal gangs in the El Carmen sector, in the La Vega parish, near Cota 905 and of which the El Coqui gang intends to take territorial control.
During the afternoon of Tuesday, March 30, citizens reported shots from Cota 905, in Caracas. The journalist Román Camacho reported that members of this gang were seen in the vicinity of the El Pinar zoo, which is located near Cota 905. In a video published by the communicator on his Twitter account, several subjects are observed loitering near the aforementioned Park.
Camacho assured, unofficially, that the antisocials had taken over the old Metropolitan Police (PM) club located nearby. The band celebrates the expansion of their land and buildings.
Last Friday, March 19, a group of 30 armed men took the entrances to Cota 905. Officials from the Scientific, Criminal and Criminal Investigations Corps (CICPC) closed the passage of vehicles to the tunnels of El Paraíso. This is due to the fact that the criminals shot at the cars that were moving along this road.
Officials from the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) confronted the gang members. Keeping the surrounding areas in distress in the face of constant gunfire.
Daisy Rivas, a 55-year-old woman, died after she was shot in the stomach during the confrontation. The woman she lived in the City Park residences, on Avenida Páez in El Paraíso. The victim was at her house cooking. Her husband called her on the phone and asked her to protect herself from the detonations that were heard. Shortly afterward she was hit by a stray bullet from the shooting.
On January 28 of this year, officials of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) carried out a procedure in the neighborhood for disturbing public order. They were then ambushed by members of the El Coqui gang. The ambush generated a confrontation between the uniformed men and the antisocials. This was reported by the journalist Román Camacho. The police force mobilized armored vehicles to rescue the officials who were inside Cota 905.
These shootings occur frequently in this area and surrounding sectors. Since January 6, 2021, clashes have been recorded in the La Vega parish, near Cota 905. The first shooting occurred in the May 1 sector, between officials of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) and antisocial; the second was in the El Carmen sector.
Police officers try to prevent the expansion of the dangerous gang. However, the inhabitants affirm that there is already a presence of these subjects in the area. They even point out that they have begun to install illegal checkpoints in some streets. The clashes between armed gangs and police officers took place for several hours and kept the residents sheltered in their residences.
While the criminals and the constant confrontations sow terror in the population, the Venezuelan authorities such as the Ministry of the Interior and Justice are silent in the face of this situation. The inhabitants live with fear while the sound of the detonations invades the environment and steals the tranquility.
