February 15, 2023, 7:23 AM
February 15, 2023, 7:23 AM
It happened on the Santagro property, in the jurisdiction of Ascensión de Guarayos, when suddenly a group of armed hooded men carelessly attacked police officers who were carrying out an examination and search within investigations for aggravated robbery perpetrated by harassers.
The attack left four uniformed officers seriously injured who were transferred to our capital and today receive medical attention at the Figueroa clinic.
However, officially, the director of the Special Force to Fight Crime (Felcc), Colonel Julio César Cossio, reported at a press conference that there was no ambush on the police or detainees. Nor was it disclosed about injured police officers who remain hospitalized in a clinic.
EL DEBER reached room 9 on the second floor of the Figueroa clinic, where police officers Erick Magno Figueredo, Brayan Rodrigo Ávalos, Marcelo Molina Suárez and Henrry Huaycho Usnabo remain hospitalized receiving medical attention.
They have injuries to their ribs, shoulders, back and arms. According to the first medical reports, they suffered trauma and are undergoing studies and expertise such as X-rays and others.
They are also receiving care with serums and other medications according to their diagnoses.
It was a careless attack
The injuries were caused by the attack with stones, sticks, impacts from firecrackers, Molotov cocktails and bazooka, manufactured by hand, in addition to other weapons.
The agents fulfilled the mission of doing reconnaissance in the properties by superior orders.
They recounted that “it was a careless attack, an ambush and it all started around nine in the morning. There were about 200 hooded people, they were armed with stones, sticks, machetes, handmade bazooka, firecrackers. We couldn’t do anything. We wanted to put order, but nothing could be done because they were very violent and numerous, but we are alive,” said one of the victims.
Another said that there were 35 troops who carried out the work. “We withdrew and as we could we arrived in Santa Cruz at dawn, the group stayed and took that property,” said another of the wounded who is being treated at the clinic.
The troops arrived early yesterday morning and the four were admitted between 8 and 11 in the morning. Versions circulated that a policeman had disappeared in the bush after the ambush, however that situation was ruled out.
EL DEBER learned that Colonel Julio César Bejarano, who was in command of the police contingent, even tried to speak but the armed group prevented him from doing so and also beat him.
From the Basic School, without weapons
EL DEBER was able to learn that the policemen who were ambushed are recent graduates of the Police Basic School. “They are young people who were without regulation weapons, they are obedient and were following orders. They have not even received their first salaries, they were without resources but they are obedient because they are new” revealed a police chief.
While receiving medical attention, the wounded agreed that they would not worry their relatives or be a burden due to the situation they experienced on the farms.
a little showdown
The director of the Felcc, Colonel Julio César Cossio, at a press conference at noon yesterday referred to the Santagro case. He stated that investigations were being carried out on that agricultural property to report aggravated robbery and injuries. Thus, on February 3, a contingent of 270 troops was sent to carry out registration tasks in the 1,800-hectare area and to establish the truth of the facts.
The police chief assured that by tax order the investigations in the place were expanded, but a contingent returned and 50 troops remained to continue with the tasks. “In the surroundings of Santagro there is a small confrontation between some community members and public servants, to avoid further confrontations it is decided to return through the Piraí neighborhood.”
Cossio stated that “there was a small confrontation and before this the policemen returned, there was no ambush, at any time.”
The head of the Felcc affirmed that there are some policemen with bruises from the action of some community members with firecrackers and others, but that there are no detainees either. He said that reports were sent to the Prosecutor’s Office to expand the investigations for everything that happened.
