The brothers Héctor and Luis Gutiérrez Zerpa were sentenced to 25 years and 6 months in prison for the kidnapping of a 30-year-old merchant, an event that occurred on December 5, 2019, on José Antonio Anzoátegui Avenue in the Guanta municipality (Anzoátegui).
In the afternoon of that day, the victim was in a family home in the aforementioned area, when he was surprised by the attackers, who were carrying a firearm in order to force him to leave the place and force him into a vehicle.
Once inside the car, they contacted a relative to demand the amount of 800 thousand US dollars in exchange for their release.
Given this situation, the relatives notified Municipal Police officials, who immediately went to the scene; There they managed to rescue the victim and apprehend the brothers, whom they placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry.
At the trial, the 2nd Prosecutor’s Office of the aforementioned jurisdiction ratified the accusation against the aggressors for the crime of brief kidnapping.
Once the means and bodies of evidence presented by the prosecutor in the case had been evaluated, the 2nd Trial Court of that entity handed down the sentence against the Gutiérrez Zerpa brothers, who remain detained at the Municipal Police headquarters of that town.
Two brothers sentenced to 25 years in prison for kidnapping a merchant in Anzoátegui #27Jan
📢https://t.co/63MQU1MF7k pic.twitter.com/wQPfmpRoaV— Venezuelan Public Ministry (@MinpublicoVEN) January 27, 2026
Accused of attacking his partner. The Public Ministry charged Kevin Leonardo Benega Matta, 22 years old, with allegedly physically attacking his wife.
According to the office, the incident occurred on January 18 in the town of La Sabanita, Platallinal parish of the Atures municipality (Amazonas). When the woman was asleep in her room, the attacker entered and began hitting her and threatening to kill her with a knife.
The victim went to the authorities and filed a complaint. During the presentation hearing, prosecutors charged Benega Matta with the crimes of aggravated physical violence and aggravated threat, provided for in the Organic Law on the Right of Women to a Life Free of Violence. Given the allegations of the prosecutors, the 2nd Court of Control of Amazonas issued precautionary measures that consist of the presentation every 15 days.
