[Al Jazeera] A police officer who stole a helicopter and fired on two Venezuelan government buildings appeared in public for the first time on Thursday night, defying a nationwide manhunt by showing up at a protest in the capital.Except in videos posted on the internet, Oscar Perez hadn't been seen since he shocked the nation on June 27 by using a stolen helicopter to fire grenades and gunshots at the supreme court and interior ministry buildings. The government called it a "terrorist attack".
Perez spoke briefly to journalists at a Thursday night vigil to honour the more than 90 people killed during three months of demonstrations against Venezuela's government.
He urged Venezuelans to vote en masse on Sunday in a symbolic referendum being organised by the opposition to oppose President Nicolas Maduro's plans to rewrite the constitution. Perez said the vote should mark the start of a sustained street campaign to force the embattled socialist leader from office.
"It's the zero hour," Perez said as several masked youths looked on from behind. "The true way to pay respects to those who've died is for this dictatorship to fall."
