Andre Gouveia, the Vene-zuela-based Guyanese who was shot three times along the border between Guyana and Venezuela on Saturday, says he was the victim of a gang of robbers who tried to chop off one of his hands
Gouveia, 34, a miner, was admitted as a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) after being transferred from a health facility in Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), where he first sought medical attention after the shooting.
Stabroek News had first reported Gouveia to be a Venezuelan national but in an interview from his hospital bed, he yesterday clarified that he is Guyanese.
He told this newspaper that several Guyanese and Brazilians were at a mining district along the Guyana-Venezuela border, where they were attacked by a gang of men on Saturday last.
He explained that the men, upon arriving at the location where he had his operations, demanded that they hand over their valuables. “They come for the gold and money and… some people like me who didn’t have enough, they tied them up and beat them,” Gouveia said. He added that the men also burned their camps during the attack.
He went on to say that prior to being shot three times—in his right arm, left hand and right leg—he was under guard but he managed to escape from the bandit. He said the man who guarded him attempted to “chop off” one of his hands, which forced him to try to escape.
Gouveia was also beaten about his body. He bore injuries to his face and in the region of his left eye.
On Sunday, he underwent surgery to remove the warheads lodged in his body. He stated that after being injured, he travelled to Port Kaituma for medical attention since it was closer than any facility in Venezuela.
