This article is related to a recent shooting between a gang, and the death squads used by the red ones, on August 1, 2019.
There are some things in life that still have the potential to surprise guys like me. Especially when such things happen in my own hometown when I was born and bred, and that used to be a safe place in my younger years. Isolated violence is not uncommon in small towns in South America, no matter what country you are, but it´s usually related to crime and drugs, and similar stuff. But the new elements are really something to worry about.
The story starts when Hugo decided to arm civilians (illegally) with AKs to defend the supposed revolution going on. With a pocket full of money to buy Caribbean countries loyalty, and whoever crossed in his path, no one cared about it and what effect this would have in our society. He was going to do whatever he wanted, and so he did. Yes, Hugo, arming people in da hoods was a GREAT idea. Thanks for nothing, moron. Afterwards, the few people really decent who had the terrible idea to receive a weapon would be screwed: many of them were victims of criminals looking to take the guns from them. These AKs and handguns would be under control of the “colectivos”, a word used to mask illegal activities like express kidnapping, blackmailing, retail drug business and small scale money laundry, under organizations that would do “community or social/cultural work” for the poor barrios.
Far from the truth.
Yes, there are some organizations that are doing a good job, within their means. But most of them are just a cover for gangs. Their members are common criminals in many instances, heavily brain-washed with communism, and consumers of some type of substance. Real little jewels, aren’t they?
Authorities are allowing gangs to cause a lot of trouble.
Gangs would organize themselves, usually recruiting very young members with some kind of military or police training. Just like it seems to be happening all over the world. Adding insult to the injury, regular police and armed forces were given orders to not mess with them. To let them be. They steal broad daylight, gun in hand, roaming in swarms and police can’t do anything.
These irregular forces is an (internationally illegal) line of defense that the narcos in power NEED because they have shot the protesters, killed people, and have immunity: THAT IS THEIR JOB, TO CONTROL PEOPLE UNDER THE DISGUISE OF CIVILIAN TURMOIL!! Dudes!
It just happened in China with the massive killing with knives!. “Patente de corso” in Spanish. License to kill. If you believe that the guys sitting there are just corrupt and inefficient, think twice. They’re psychos, and very dangerous. They know exactly what they are doing and what they have to do to keep in power: starve the people, and shoot them massively if rebellion starts.
Did you believe that movies like The Hunger Games were exaggerated?
People, we are facing the exact same situation. A corrupted elite wrapped in designer clothes, toting Gucci purses, eating like queens and kings, they and their families protected by hundreds of bodyguards while people starve in every district.
I’m not talking about politics here. I’m making a profile of the gangs, where they come from, why they are so strong and why civilians and regular forces have been unable to combat them.
To keep social control, another faction was created. Won’t name it here, don’t want to get labeled. They transport in black pickups without a license plate, dress in black, faces covered. Their weaponry and gear is first class. I’ve studied some footage and photos, and I know this is true. Their training is merciless.
What kind of decent country allows that?
Venezuela has a long history of gangs.
The gangs usually need to show their power and impunity to the world, to intimidate their rivals and the general public. Social networks have been useful for this. In this link, you will find something that happened in the immediate vicinity of my hometown, in a hacienda. (Unrelated to the most recent shooting that generated this article) Altagracia Massacre
Now, please allow me to inform what happened in the town where I spent a very happy childhood, and a more than regular adolescence: Altagracia. It used to be a peaceful, quiet town. Lots of migrants, especially from Islas Canarias, Spain. Lots of Italians, too. They learned to love that land that embraced them as their own children. Many of them never came back to their origin place, even though they could, preferring to stay. Lots of farms, both cattle and corn, tomatoes, tobacco, and pastures. A mild climate, very warm, but at the same time welcoming. It’s hard to explain. You would have to experience it to understand it, maybe. It has been quite shocking for me to learn about this and wanted to take my time to do good research and write something meaningful.
Let’s start.
Gangs have been a pain since a long time for everyone, when in the 60s and 70s crime started to band together to gain strength. This was probably related to the appearance of the urban guerrilla (Castro-promoted), who kidnapped and commit crimes all over the country to destroy the stability and the democracy of the country. They recruited members with criminal experience to assist them in the resources collection to finance their political activities, and this started a lot of other criminal actions, on a more serious level. In the barrios, with a large amount of Chavez supporters, these gangs saw where the power balance was, joining to the “cause” and gained impunity and power, oppressing the opposition people.
This said, gangs roamed all over the different regions of the country, respecting each other terrains, enjoying the loot of their crimes. One of the most famous was the called “El tren de Aragua”, dismantled by live fire by death squads some time ago. There is another famous gang now, the main character of this story I am to narrate about.
Criminals are getting a lot bolder and more brazen.
In the last few years, the impunity of criminals has been increasing. Roaming around in packs, they are used to do whatever they want. When one of their members is shot dead, they present their “respect” shooting to the air, just like the Taliban. This incredible demonstration of criminal behavior can be seen in this link: Banda “El Malony” exhibe armas en Altagracia de Orituco, Guárico
This is my hometown. Of course, in one of the barrios, we never went because it was dangerous though. But thinking that those thugs could be in the very same bar I am, it’s just freaking scary. It’s just not something easy to accept, that failure of the state has touched us so close and making our lives a mess.
This gang had previously attacked (with grenades and AKs) a police post, back there in 2017, think. In the same town, Altagracia. The massacre of San Valentin’s day was a breakthrough: it was brutal and merciless, but it wasn’t even half of the death toll of this gang. Well, these last ones were armed, that’s true.
The death squad used by the guys in power to kidnap opposition politicians, members of the National Assembly, and similar tasks, became engaged with the gang in the video and eliminated them. Of course, uploading that video showing their faces was too much of an insult for the uniforms and were hunted. That is a fact.
Let the gangs in Venezuela serve as a cautionary tale.
Why did I decide to write about this?
Because, once regular law and order get lost, this is what you must expect.
This is what you must hide from.
This is what you can’t combat against, unless you are better armed, with numeric advantage, and can take them down silently.
This, dear fellows, is the exact situation that must be avoided at all cost.
This is the situation you don’t want nearby.
These are the guys who are going to be roaming free if things go really bad. Maybe without any family to take care of. Without any desire to keep living. That thin layer, that microns-thick coating of civilization will be lost in much less time than we could imagine. Drugs and alcohol addiction, added to an increasing scarcity of these products, will bring afloat the worst of the criminal personalities that will be common in the streets and roads. Maybe some of them could arrive nearby our homestead. This is why concealing and inaccessibility are so paramount. This is why camouflage and silent operations of self-defense are going to be so important, living in the woods. I am used to city living. There are few things that I used to enjoy of my former life, more than having my Saturday morning foamy and smoking latte, in a table outside the cafeteria while reading my newspaper.
But how are you going to sit peacefully with this kind of things going on around?
Good thing is, I have practiced in the woods enough already how to walk without any noise, and after living in this huge, impersonal city, I know I won’t miss city life ever again.
Thank you.
Thanks for your reading, fellows.
Special regard for those who send their support to keep me on track and writing. Blessings for you, and may the Lord provide you abundance and health to enjoy it.
See you in the next article.
What do you think?
Will gangs become a problem in the US if/when SHT? Are you prepared to handle them if they do? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
About Jose
Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has a small 4 members family, plus two cats and a dog. An old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Thanks to your help Jose has gotten his family out of Venezuela. They are currently setting up a new life in another country. Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151