Key Operatives Linked to Venezuelan Ex-Military Ronald Ojeda's Murder Sent to High-Security Prison

Two alleged key operatives in the kidnapping and murder of former Venezuelan military officer Ronald Ojeda have been remanded to a high-security prison in Santiago, Chile. Rafael Gámez Salas, known as "El Turko," and Luis Carrillo Ortiz, or "El Gocho," face charges as central figures in the crime, which involved Ojeda's abduction, homicide, and subsequent burial.

The judicial decision came after Gámez and Carrillo were extradited to Chile, arriving on a flight from Miami with a stopover in Bogotá, escorted by Chilean police. The court deemed their release a significant danger to public safety, mandating their confinement in the maximum-security wing of the REPAS penitentiary. Investigations by the Public Ministry and civil police place these individuals at the operational apex of the crime, which occurred in March 2024.

Authorities have identified Gámez as the leader of the criminal cell "Los Piratas de Aragua," responsible for coordinating the logistics of the assassination-for-hire. Carrillo, meanwhile, allegedly controlled the territory where the victim's body was buried in the Maipú commune. "El Turko," described as having the highest rank in the perpetration of the crime, is among 12 individuals already detained in connection with Ojeda's death.

Chilean police confirmed that six additional fugitives, believed to have directly participated in the abduction while disguised in fake police uniforms, are still at large, with potential locations in Venezuela. The prosecution, led by Metropolitan South Prosecutor Héctor Barros, has dismissed the motive as common economic extortion, instead pointing towards Venezuelan authorities as the instigators of the crime. Gámez and Carrillo are scheduled to remain in maximum security until their trial begins on October 20.

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In the case of 'El Turko,' who just arrived today, he has the highest rank within the perpetration in each of the phases. There are already 12 people detained specifically in this investigation related to the kidnapping and homicide of Ronald Ojeda.