Caracas helicopter incident

Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz had recently defected from the Bolivarian government, condemning its response to the 2017 Venezuelan protests and its plan to rewrite the 1999 constitution drafted by President Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chávez.[8] The pro-Maduro Supreme Tribunal had convened to judge matters involving Ortega Díaz. The judicial body approved motions to ban Ortega from leaving the country, to freeze her assets and to relieve her of her duties, transferring her prosecutorial powers to ombudsman Tarek William Saab, who had close ties to President Maduro.[9]

On 27 June 2017, Maduro stated that if his government were to fail, he and his supporters would use force to reestablish the Venezuelan government.[10]

We would never give up, and what couldn't be done with votes, we would do with weapons, we would liberate the fatherland with weapons.

— Nicolás Maduro, [11]

That afternoon, a video was released showing men with assault rifles flanking Óscar Pérez, who was a film actor and CICPC investigator (Venezuela's criminal investigation agency); men in the video stated "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."[12][13] Pérez was later seen piloting a CICPC helicopter over the Baruta Municipality. Blank firearm cartridges were fired near the Interior Ministry building to draw attention to his message[14]—a banner on the helicopter read "350 Liberty", a reference to Article 350 of the Constitution of Venezuela, 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".[15][16]

The next day on 28 June, Vice President Tareck El Aissami reported that the helicopter used in the attack had been found in Osma, Vargas, a rural town northeast of Caracas, and that although special forces were deployed into the area, no perpetrators were arrested.[28] The aircraft was only located after a local farmer, Reinaldo Reyes Castillo, reported that he found the helicopter had landed on his land.[29] Reyes Castillo was later arrested and sentenced in a military court to be imprisoned in Ramo Verde Prison, a military prison where several opposition members and protesters are held prisoner.[29]

Colonel Vladimir Lugo Armas, the National Guardsman who had confronted National Assembly speaker Julio Borges shortly after the helicopter incident, was decorated with the Cross of the Presidential Guard and the National Guard Medal of Merit Honor by President Maduro on 29 June. While speaking during the ceremony at the Theater of the Military Academy in Caracas, Maduro acknowledged Colonel Lugo's "security services within the facilities of the Federal Legislative Palace".[25]

On 2 July, Pérez's helicopter mechanic, Juan Carlos Cutilla, was arrested by SEBIN officers, with authorities saying he was the last known person to have contact with Pérez before the incident.[30]

On 4 July, Oscar Pérez, the helicopter's pilot, reappeared on social media commenting on the flight, protests and potential actions in the future. Pérez began by stating that the attack was planned to only strike fear as a "first phase" because the group did not consist of "murderers", further saying that President Maduro and his fellow government official Diosdado Cabello were the ones who murdered Venezuelans.[19] He stated that he had to make an emergency landing and spend days in El Ávila National Park, eventually making it back to Caracas. Pérez then called for further protests, explaining that a "second phase" was to begin in collaboration with Venezuelans, telling them that they "are not alone" in the streets.[19]

The day after Pérez reappeared from hiding, Venezuela's Independence Day, the National Assembly congregated on 5 July to commemorate the signing of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence. Their event was interrupted by Vice President Tareck El Aissami, who led government supporters to the Palacio Federal Legislativo.[31] El Aissami made a fifteen-minute speech calling for more supporters to arrive, stating they needed "to forge independence in the streets", leaving shortly thereafter.[32]

Hundreds of government supporters and colectivos arrived in the succeeding hours, storming the Federal Legislative Palace after the National Guard opened the facility. Pro-government individuals then attacked opposition lawmakers with pipes, firearms and fireworks, leaving at least 12 injured, with the National Guard refusing to intervene in the violence.[33]

President Maduro stated that a military rebellion had occurred and called the incident a "terrorist attack".[18] Opposition officials said that the actions were staged so Maduro could justify a crackdown on those who oppose his government and the constituent assembly.[18] Others described the events as a "Reichstag fire" incident, comparing it to the situation which helped establish the Nazi party in Germany.[35] Venezuelans were especially concerned with why the country's air force and its military's 5,000 Russian-made Igla-S MANPADS weapons – the largest stockpile in Latin America[36] – were not deployed during the incident.[34]

Control Ciudadano, a Venezuelan NGO, stated that it made no sense that an aircraft taking off from a military base had not been intercepted after abandoning its flight plan.[37] The NGO also noted that the Venezuelan armed forces had the responsibility for pursuing the helicopter after it had flown across Caracas and left the area.[37]

Representatives from Brazil,[38] Colombia,[39] Cuba,[40] Ecuador, Mexico,[41] and the United States[42] issued statements about the incident, condemning the perpetrators of the incident, the government actions, or the general atmosphere of violence and disorder.

• 2018 Caracas drone attack

• List of attacks on high courts