Richard Peñalver
Richard Peñalver | |
|---|---|
| Councilman of the Libertador Municipality of Caracas | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 March 1964 Venezuela |
| Died | 24 June 2026 (aged 62) Caracas, Venezuela |
| Party | United Socialist Party of Venezuela (2007–2026) Fifth Republic Movement (2007) |
Known for | Being a gunman in the Llaguno Overpass events |
Richard Peñalver (31 March 1964 – 24 June 2026) was a Venezuelan politician and a member of the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR). He was one of the individuals filmed during the Llaguno Overpass events on 11 April 2002.
Career
Richard Peñalver was one of the four citizens identified in media images (along with Rafael Cabrices, Henry Atencio, and Nicolás Rivera) firing shots from the Llaguno Bridge in Caracas on 11 April 2002. Conflicting versions exist regarding the nature of these shots: while various sectors and media outlets argued they were directed at the opposition march heading toward the Miraflores Palace, the defense contended during the judicial process that the shots were fired toward an area clear of demonstrators and as a defensive response to crossfire from the Metropolitan Police and snipers in elevated positions.[1] His defense was handled by Maikel Moreno, who would later become president of the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela.[2][3]
This argument was evaluated by the Supreme Court of Justice, resulting in the acquittal of the accused, who were later granted amnesty in 2007 by Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz and President Hugo Chávez.[4]
Peñalver was a councilman for the Libertador Municipality of Caracas for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) in 2011.[3] On the morning of 24 May 2011, he was shot in the right ankle after an argument with the driver of a pickup truck. Peñalver was quickly taken to a nearby medical center.[5]
On 12 April 2015, he was decorated by Aristóbulo Istúriz, then governor of Anzoátegui, with the Order of Casa Fuerte, First Class.[6] On 2 April 2018, police in Santa Cruz de Tenerife recorded that Richard had requested political asylum in Spain,[7] which was rejected.[8]
Death
Peñalver, his wife and their daughters died on 24 June 2026 when their home in Caracas collapsed during the two Mw 7.2 and Mw 7.5 earthquakes that struck Yaracuy.[9][10]
See also
References
- ↑ "Sentencia de la Sala de Casación Penal del TSJ (Expediente C10-138)". 21 May 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ "Flamante magistrado venezolano en el Tribunal Supremo tiene largo prontuario policial". Diario las Américas. 1 January 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
- 1 2 Suárez Piña, Roberth (11 April 2016). "#Especial 14 años del estallido social que marcó la historia contemporánea de Venezuela". El Impulso. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ Ramos, Gabriel (4 April 2018). "VIDEO | Esposa de Simonovis: "Richard Peñalver fue beneficiado con amnistía en 2007 por Luisa Ortega y Chávez"". El Pitazo. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "Herido de bala concejal del Psuv Richard Peñalver, en incidente con conductor en San Bernardino". CICPC. Noticiero Digital. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "Condecoraron a pistolero de Puente Llaguno en Puerto La Cruz". El Mercurio Web. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ↑ "Policía española informó que Richard Peñalver solicitó asilo político". EFE. El Universal. 7 April 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
- ↑ "España deniega el asilo a un exdirigente chavista que fue vinculado a una matanza". El País. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ↑ "Richard Peñalver, conocido por disparar el 11A de 2002 a la marcha contra Chávez, murió tapiado en su casa por el terremoto". Caracas. Venezuela Red Informativa. 25 May 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
- ↑ "Tragedia familiar: Richard Peñalver pierde la vida junto a su esposa e hijas en un fatídico suceso" [Family tragedy: Richard Peñalver loses his life along with his wife and daughters in a fatal event.] (in Spanish). Diario Contraste Noticias. 27 June 2026. Retrieved 27 June 2026.