A/HRC/45/CRP.11 CASE 20: OLPs in the Cota 905 neighbourhood (13 July 2015 and 10 May 2016) 1059. Cota 905 is a densely populated area of various neighbourhoods located along Avenida Guzmán Blanco, in Libertador municipality, west of Caracas. Built on the slope of a hill, Cota 905 overlooks the capital. It comprises La Vega, El Paraíso and the Santa Rosalía parishes and connects to the sectors of El Valle and El Cementerio. The area has long been associated with gangs and contraband. 1060. The area lacks adequate housing, public infrastructure and socio-economic resources. Many residents struggle to pay for food, school supplies and other necessities. 1872 1061. By early 2015, organized criminal gangs operating in El Cementerio, El Valle and Cota 905 reportedly merged.1873 The gang was led by Carlos Luis Revete, alias “El Coqui”. By 2016, the gang had between 70 and 120 members, using Cota 905 as a base for extortion, kidnapping, vehicle theft and drug trafficking. The gang reportedly had a significant arsenal that included grenades, rifles and small arms.1874 1062. Despite being one among the most wanted criminals in Venezuela, 1875 some residents helped shield El Coqui from authorities, either out of fear or loyalty. El Coqui also reportedly bribed some members of security forces to alert him in advance of operations, including the first OLP on 13 July 2015.1876 Repeated arrest operations against El Coqui made Cota 905 one of the areas most affected by OLPs. For two years, the security forces carried out operations in Cota 905 at least every week and sometimes several times a week. 1877 Local residents accused them of extortion.1878 1063. Prior to the OLP in Cota 905 in July 2015, there had been a series of attacks against Caracas police and one on a Government member.1879 On 5 June 2015, five police officers were injured by a group of heavily armed individuals. 1880 Later that month, on 20 June 2015, an armoured vehicle carrying Sports Minister Pedro Infante was fired upon, though no one was injured.1881 The following day, on 21 June 2015, two PNB officers were injured in the Los Laureles sector.1882 The 13 July 2015 OLP 1064. Four operations were carried out on 13 July 2015, one in Aragua, one in Miranda, and two in Caracas, including in the Cota 905 neighbourhood. These were the first in a series of operations that became known as OLPs. 1065. On 13 July 2015, President Maduro announced on television that he had ordered and coordinated the four OLPs together with GNB Commander General Reverol, Defence Minister General Padrino López and Interior Minister Gustavo González López, as well as 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 Mission Interview C4FF03 in February 2020. Reportero 24, Caracas: la incursión policial en La Cota 905, https://www.reportero24.com/2015/07/14/caracas-la-incursion-policial-en-la-cota-905/. See also El Nacional, Fear at Cota 905, available at: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xkmos. InSight Crime, Carlos Luis Revete, alias ‘El Coqui’, 26 September 2019, available at: https://es.insightcrime.org/venezuela-crimen-organizado/carlos-luis-revette-alias-el-coqui/. El Cooperante, «El Coki», «el Malony» y «Oreja»: Los rostros del hampa más buscados en Venezuela, 21 July 2016, available at: https://elcooperante.com/estos-son-los-rostros-del-hampa-envenezuela-los-mas-buscados-por-las-autoridades/. InSight Crime, Carlos Luis Revete, alias El Coqui, 26 September 2019, available at: https://es.insightcrime.org/venezuela-crimen-organizado/carlos-luis-revette-alias-el-coqui/. Mission Interview C4FF03 in February 2020. Document C4FF02, on file with the Mission. Keymer Ávila in Cuestión Digital, Cota 905: entre las ausencias y los excesos, 20 July 2015, available at: http://questiondigital.com/cota-905-entre-las-ausencias-y-los-excesos/. La Razón, Tiroteo en La Cota 905 deja cinco policías heridos, 5 June 2015, available at: https://www.larazon.net/2015/06/tiroteo-en-la-cota-905-deja-cinco-policias-heridos/. Noticiero Venevisión, Proyectil impactó parabrisas de camioneta de ministro del Deporte en enfrentamiento en La Cota 905, 22 June 2015, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YQOXBYdJlc. Reportero 24, Caracas: la incursión policial en La Cota 905, available at: https://www.reportero24.com/2015/07/14/caracas-la-incursion-policial-en-la-cota-905/. 209