The explosion of a gas pipeline on the old Anauco-Cantaura highway (Anzoátegui), on Wednesday night, occurred in an area where two criminal structures operate: that of alias Jonathan Gallero and Oscar de Jesús Noguera Hernández (El Diente, El Diente de Oro, El Pipi), current leader of the Tren del Llano, according to preliminary reports.
These two organizations are dedicated to the drug trafficking business, but their paths are divided by other criminal activities. For example, Jonathan Gallero’s gang illegally exploits some mines located in the east of the country, a situation that keeps them apparently low-profile. But they also offer protection to drug trafficking groups that need to transport their shipments through that northeastern area of Venezuela.
To ensure the success of these two criminal activities (drug trafficking and mining) they need to control the old roads of Anzoátegui, especially the area of the eastern plains that includes some municipalities of Guárico such as Santa María de Ipire, Pedro Zaraza and José Félix Ribas (Tucupido).
Specifically, the Tren del Llano has extended its area of influence to these municipalities in the east of Guárico. They have their main hideout in Altagracia de Orituco, Parque Guanapito. And they have wanted to set up another base of operations in San Rafael de Laya, a parish in the José Félix Ribas municipality (Tucupido) in whose rural area there is a significant number of small, medium and large agricultural producers, who have been victims of the collection of taxes in dollars by these criminals, according to testimonies.
Recent investigations suggest that the Tren del Llano has installed a cell near the 40” Anaco-Altagracia de Orituco Gas Pipeline, pipeline 26, which passes through San Rafael de Laya.
Both criminal groups are interested in keeping that area of the eastern plains clear to facilitate their criminal activities. But we also learned from reports that these criminal gangs were touched by far-right political groups that have plans for violence in mind prior to the June 28 elections, as denounced by President Nicolás Maduro. “The fascist demons and demonesses are desperate…they want a catastrophe to occur,” Maduro stressed on Wednesday night during an electoral campaign event in Barquisimeto (Lara), but he had already warned about this from La Vega, Caracas and Guacara (Carabobo).
Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Remigio Ceballos warned on Wednesday that initial investigations into the pipeline explosion “indicate that the incident was caused by sabotage.”
In addition to contributing to the plans promoted by a political sector, Jonathan Gallero and Tren del Llano also intend with their actions to undermine the support that Chavismo has in the rural areas of the country, according to what was explained by a police chief. Attacking the medium-sized producer to put an end to his daily activity (corn crops, cheese making, livestock) constitutes a mortal blow to the producers and to the regional economy, according to studies.
