Three people have been arrested in Portuguesa for being allegedly responsible for the poisoning of more than 100 students at the 27 de Junio high school in Turén, an event that occurred last Thursday, November 7.
Luis Medina, Secretary of Citizen Security in the region, reported that two minors, students of the institution, and a third person involved, aged 18, who participated in the preparation of “a cocktail that they placed in a plastic spray container and then they began to spray in the educational unit”, which caused the massive fainting of students, who also presented dizziness, vomiting, respiratory difficulty, eye and skin irritation and even seizures.
He specified that to clarify “such a repugnant fact” evidence of criminalistic interest was collected and from the cell phone of one of the detainees “we collected photos that demonstrate his criminal behavior, with firearms, consuming illicit substances and also an audio in which one of “His friends mention that the citizen was taking the blame to defend a third party.”
At a press conference and accompanied by the heads of the different security forces and the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), Medina presented some of the material extracted from the mobile phone of one of the detainees. In addition, he said that the results of blood samples and clothing samples from those affected are awaited, which were sent to the Toxicology Directorate in Caracas, to determine what type of substances caused the massive poisoning of the students.
85 students were hospitalized due to the case, of which “25 are still detained and are progressing satisfactorily. The others have already recovered and are at home,” he stated.
They investigate another case of poisoning in Portuguesa
In Portuguesa, another case of mass poisoning recorded this Monday, November 11, at the José de la Cruz Paredes high school, in the San Rafael de Onoto municipality, is also under investigation and where 20 students They were admitted to public health centers with the same symptoms as those in Turén.
According to Medina, it has not yet been determined whether this case is related to that of Turén but “hypotheses are not ruled out” and a commission from the National Directorate against Terrorism is already in the state to support and strengthen the investigations. “We are going to be exemplary. When the intention is to produce chaos and terror, we are in the presence of a case of terrorism and we are going to be forceful,” he asserted.
He said that in “the first line of investigation of this second fact,” work is being done based on the possibility that it responds to “a viral challenge” on social networks, so “we are verifying what those games are like” and asking parents and representatives to be much more attentive to the interactions and content that their children consume on digital platforms.
Classes continue
Medina took the opportunity to clarify that the suspension of classes at Portuguesa is not planned and called for calm, tranquility and peace. “No one can deny the right to education,” he pointed out.
He clarified that academic activities are only paralyzed in the two affected institutions, because a disinfection process began in both and the work will continue this Wednesday, until any trace of toxic substances on all surfaces is completely eliminated. “We are going to wash our study houses so that classes can continue,” he assured.
