Llaguno overpass incident

The Llaguno overpass was the site of a conflict that about as a result of the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt. The event is noteworthy because it was an armed escalation of the conflict. Corporate pro-coup media played an important role in creating a narrative around the event. The event began with confrontations between supporters of incumbent Hugo Chavez and the supporters of the ongoing coup began with small hand-to-hand fights. Military and police attempted to maintain order while fighting amongst themselves. Marches from both factions heading towards the Presidential building brawled and shouted before shots rang out over the Llaguno overpass. Media accounts of these events following the shots become very politicized.

Media manipulation and reality

Corporate media had alleged that Chavista counter-protesters opened fire on coup demonstrators before being shot dead in retaliation. This narrative is not supported by the facts. The corporate media however still stitched together and clipped footage to suit the narrative they had created. The coup supporters within the Metropolitan Police of Caracas had snipers picking off Chavez supporters. The trajectory of the bullet and the unseen figures sending off the shots could not have been anything but sniper fire. The civilian Chavez supporters proceeded to fire some shots in the general direction of the sniper fire. The media would then proceed to pervert the footage of this event into a supposed confrontation between murderous Chavistas firing away at a peaceful protest below the overpass. The actual footage showed not a single coup demonstrator below the overpass and a murderous group of coup soldiers.