Bullet passes through man’s pants pocket after “Sindicatos” open fire on boat in Cuyuni River

Aug 27, 2023 News

– Guyanese soldiers returned fire

By Shervin Belgrave

Kaieteur News – A man on Thursday afternoon narrowly escaped serious injury or possibly death after members of a Venezuelan gang popularly known as the “Sindicatos” opened fire on a boat in the Cuyuni River, Region Seven.

The bullet hole left in one of the man’s pockets

One of the bullets reportedly passed through his right-side pants pocket while the out-board engines on the boat were partially riddled.

Kaieteur News understands that the man was working as a porter on the boat.

Police confirmed the shooting and said that members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were also onboard the vessel. Police related too that the ranks had returned fire on the gang but no injuries have been reported.

Kaieteur News learnt the boat was a civilian one heading towards the Eteringbang, Cuyuni River, Region Seven, a Guyanese community that sits on the border with neighbouring Venezuela.

While in the vicinity of Botanamu, a mining community that is situated on the Venezuelan side of the border, the gunmen opened fire. It is believed that the ‘Sindicatos’ shot at the boat because it had failed to stop at their checkpoint.

The soldiers were shot at again the following day while returning from Eteringbang but this time in the vicinity of another mining area call Baboon. One gunshot was heard and the soldiers again fired back.

Guyanese businessmen working at border said that the “Sindicatos” have warned that “they do not care whoever is passing by”, once a boat refuses to stop they will shoot.

Fearful for their lives, the Guyanese businessmen and women have decided to comply.

At the check points, the gang would search the boats and force the businessmen to pay them gold for each item they transport to their shops and mining camps.

“They have a checklist with prices for various items transported from Guyana,” one businessman said.

The price to transport a case of Guinness is reportedly one gram gold (that is close to a penny weight of gold). Another businessman reportedly had to pay 10 grams of gold for each drum of oil he had in his boat.

“They tell him he had to pay or leave it there at their checkpoint,” the businessman added.

Forcing the Guyanese pay a tax for basic supplies for their mining camps, personal use and businesses has been ongoing for years but in recent time, it has reportedly gotten worse.

Bullet holes on the outboard engines of the boat

According to the Guyanese businessmen, they are being forced to run away and shut up their shops because of the high taxes they have to pay the “Sindicatos” and they fear for their lives when they cannot pay.

The businessman said numerous complaints have been made to the relevant authorities and the Guyana Gold and Miners’ Association but it seems as if they had fallen on deaf ears.

Police had told Kaieteur News in the past that Joint Services patrol had increased in the river to combat the attacks on the Guyanese people. The government had heightened its military presence at the border after a policeman; Quincy Alexander was shot by “Sindicatos” in 2018 while travelling in a boat.

That shooting had also occurred in the vicinity of Botanamu.

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Businessmen, Cuyuni River, Guyanese Soldiers, shooting, Sindicatos

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