A police officer who stole a helicopter and fired on two Venezuelan government buildings has appeared in public for the first time, defying a nationwide manhunt by showing up at a protest in the capital.
Except in videos posted on the internet, Oscar Perez had not been seen since he shocked the nation on June 27 by using a stolen helicopter to fire grenades and gunshots at the Supreme Court and interior ministry buildings.
Perez spoke briefly to journalists at a Thursday night vigil to honour the more than 90 people killed during three months of demonstrations against Venezuela's government.
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He urged Venezuelans to vote on Sunday in a symbolic referendum being organised by the opposition to oppose President Nicolas Maduro's plans to rewrite the constitution.
Perez said the vote should mark the start of a sustained street campaign to force the embattled socialist leader from office.
At the vigil, he screamed, "What does Venezuela want?", which drew shouts of "Freedom!" as he raised his fist and hopped on the back of a motorcycle that sped into the night.
In several videos, Perez has declared he belongs to an uprising of members of the security forces who are fed up with Maduro's administration.
Even though he had vowed to appear at an opposition rally, many people believed he had fled Venezuela following a nationwide manhunt in which the stolen helicopter was found near the Caribbean coast outside Caracas.
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