CARACAS, Venezuela – A Venezuelan police officer who stole a helicopter and fired on two government buildings appeared in public for the first time Thursday night, showing up at an anti-government demonstration in Caracas.
Except in videos uploaded to the internet, Oscar Perez hadn't been seen since he shocked the nation June 27 by using a stolen helicopter to fire grenades and gunshots at the supreme court and interior ministry buildings. The government called it a "terrorist attack."
Perez spoke briefly to journalists at the Thursday night vigil to honor the more than 90 people killed during three months of anti-government protests. He then hopped on the back of a motorcycle and sped off.
In several videos, Perez has declared that he belongs to an uprising of members of the security forces who are fed up with socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Even though he had vowed to appear at an opposition rally, many people believed he had fled Venezuela following a nationwide manhunt.