The Yumare massacre was an incident in which agents of

DISIP DISIP (General Sectoral Directorate of Intelligence and Prevention Services) was an intelligence and counter-intelligence agency inside and outside of Venezuela between 1969 and 2009 when SEBIN was created by former President Hugo Chavez. DISIP was ...

, the

counter-intelligence Counterintelligence is an activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting activities to prevent espionage, sabotage, assassinations or ot ...

agency of

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

, killed nine social activists, confused with a guerrilla group. It took place on 8 May 1986 in

Yaracuy Yaracuy State ( es, link=no, Estado Yaracuy, ;) is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It is bordered by Falcón in the north, in the west by Lara, in the south by Portuguesa and Cojedes and in the east by Cojedes and Carabobo. Its geography ...

state,

. At the time, officials falsely claimed that the activists ambushed the DISIP agents and were killed during an armed confrontation. The actual circumstances of the incident were revealed in 2011 by retired Army General Alexis Ramón Sanchéz, who admitted his role in the killings.

Investigation

An investigation was re-opened in 2006,vheadlines.net, 6 July 2006
Venezuelan Attorney General reopens 1986 Yumare Massacre investigation
/ref> which led to 29 participants in the massacre being charged in September 2006, including both

Jaime Lusinchi Jaime Ramón Lusinchi (27 May 1924 – 21 May 2014) was a Venezuelan politician who was the president of Venezuela from 1984 to 1989. His term was characterized by an economic crisis, growth of the external debt, populist policies, currency dep ...

, then-president of Venezuela, and Henry López Sisco, then head of DISIP. López Sisco was able to evade arrest and flee the country. In May 2011, retired Army General Alexis Ramón Sanchéz, having confessed his role in the massacre and identified others responsible, was sentenced to 13 years' in prison. His sentence length was reduced due to his cooperation, and he was permitted to serve it at home due to his age and ill health.

References

1986 in Venezuela Massacres in 1986 May 1986 events in South America 1986 crimes Massacres in Venezuela 1986 crimes in Venezuela {{massacre-stub

Investigation

See also

References