He works for Venezuela's FBI, flies helicopters with precision skill, skydives with police dogs strapped to his chest and is trained to fight gun battles underwater - but is it all too good to be true?

This is Oscar Perez, the former cop turned rogue agent blamed for launching a gun and grenade attack on Venezuela's capital on Tuesday in protest at dictator Nicolas Maduro's government.

But now opponents of Maduro have claimed the attack was staged in order to justify the regime's brutal crackdown on opposition activists.

And it seems Perez does have an acting past - having produced and starred in the 2015 film Suspended Death, which is based on a true story about how he rescued the son of a wealthy family from a vicious gang.

Oscar Perez claims to be an agent with the CICPC, Venezuela's equivalent of the FBI, before turning rogue - stealing a government helicopter and launching a grenade and gun attack on the country's Supreme Court in Caracas

President Nicolas Maduro described Perez's actions as a 'coup' and a 'terrorist' attack and launched a manhunt for him and his co-conspirators

Perez's claims on Instagram to be a special investigator for CICPC who is a helicopter pilot, specialist K9 trainer and weapons expert

In many of his posts, Perez shows off his skills on the firing range - including this footage where he hits a target behind him using a makeup compact mirror

But opposition leaders say the attack (pictured) was staged in order to justify a crackdown on protesters by Maduro's government

'It seems like a movie,' said Julio Borges, leader of the opposition-controlled legislature, of the helicopter raid.

'Some people say it is a set-up, some that it is real ... Yesterday was full of contradictions ... A thousand things are happening, but I summarize it like this: a government is decaying and rotting, while a nation is fighting for dignity.'

Meanwhile the government also claimed the attack was faked, but accused Perez of having links to the CIA and opposition leader Miguel Rodriguez.

Rodriguez himself also called out the stunt, saying he was 'not convinced'.

Perez's full statement Dear brothers, we speak to you on behalf of the state; we are a coalition of military , police and civilians in search of balance and against this transitory and criminal government. We do not belong to or have a political or partisan bias. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists. This fight is not with the rest of the security forces who disagree, it is with the imposed impunity. Against the evil government. Against the tyranny from the death of innocent people who fight for their rights, against hunger, against lack of health, against fanaticism. This fight is for life, this fight is for hope that we build. It is not revenge, it is justice and conscience which leads us to make the change. We use this distinction with the colour of truth, and with Jesus Christ, who accompanies us. Advertisement

He said: 'Conclusion: a cheap show. Who gains from this? Only Nicolas for two reasons: to give credibility to his coup d'etat talk, and to blame [me].'

According to Perez's Instagram, which is littered with pictures of him wielding guns and modelling stylish outfits, he is an investigator with the specialist CICPC force, a tactical pilot and specialist K9 trainer, with 'a passion for my country'.

He was pictured in action in the skies above Caracas yesterday as he launched his attack, clearly visible at the controls of a CICPC helicopter as other masked militants dangled a flag from the door which reads: '350 Liberty.'

Perez also published several videos of himself standing in front of his fellow fighters, in which he delivers his reasons for attacking Maduro's government.

While police sources said they had located the helicopter Perez used in Higuerote, on the Caribbean coast, on Wednesday - they said there was no sign of the pilot.

The helicopter assault came a day after President Maduro announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion in a potentially dramatic escalation of the violence gripping the oil-rich South American country.

The beleaguered president, who for weeks has been thundering about alleged coup attempts against him, said the helicopter was flown by a pilot who worked for a former minister.

Around 15 shots were fired at the Interior Ministry, Maduro added.

'I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace,' he said in remarks from the Miraflores presidential palace.

'Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terror attack.'

No one was hurt in the incident, he said.

The government identified the helicopter pilot as a former member of Venezuela's main police force, known as the CICPC.

Perez does have an acting past - having produced and starred in a 2015 film called Suspended Death in which he plays a cop rescuing a wealthy hostage from a vicious gang

When he is not on the target range or throwing himself out of helicopters, Perez seems to enjoy a life befitting James Bond - filled with fine clothes and expensive food

Perez issued a statement after going rogue yesterday, saying he was fighting for justice against an 'evil' and tyrannical government

Opposition leaders said they are 'not convinced' by the attack, calling it a 'cheap show' to distract from their real purpose of democratic reform

Maduro called on the opposition MUD alliance to denounce the attack but one of its leaders, Freddy Guevara, tweeted there was not yet enough information to comment.

Guevara urged people to take part in anti-government rallies Wednesday - the latest in nearly three months of daily streets protests that have left 76 people dead.

Photos circulating on social media showed a helicopter flying over Caracas with a banner that read '350 Freedom' - alluding to a constitutional clause recently invoked by the opposition to assert the Maduro government's lack of legitimacy.

The photos showed two people on the chopper, one with his face covered with a mask and the other with it visible.

Earlier Tuesday, Maduro repeated claims of a US-backed coup attempt and angrily warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move.

President Nicolas Maduro said a helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court Tuesday in a confusing incident that he claimed was part of a coup attempt

A bus was pictured in flames outside the court on Tuesday as armed police swarmed to defend it from the attack

Venezuelan authorities inspect the area around the Supreme Court of Justice after a reported police squad pilot buzzed the capital and may have fired on the building

Residents came out of their homes to observe the police presence around the Supreme Court

Maduro said a helicopter fired on Venezuela's Supreme Court (above) on Tuesday

'If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence... we would fight,' Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters.

If a coup prevented his side fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, 'we would achieve it by arms.'

He said an armed intervention in his country would spark a crisis that would dwarf those caused by conflicts in the Middle East.

Addressing Trump, he said: 'You are responsible for restraining the madness of the Venezuelan right-wing.'

The opposition regularly accuses Maduro of repressing and jailing opponents. Judicial NGO Foro Penal says there are 383 political prisoners in Venezuela.

Addressing a crowd over the weekend, Maduro said detainees would face military trial over an alleged coup plot, backed by Venezuelan opposition leaders and aimed at precipitating a US intervention in the country.

Caracas, where the Supreme Court is located, was the site of unrest yesterday - part of nearly three months of demonstrations against Maduro

Masked protesters also stood outside the parliament building in Caracas calling on the deeply unpopular Maduro to hold elections

Looting took place in the city of Maracay on Tuesday as police struggle to maintain order amid mass unrest around the communist country

Civilians fled as looters moved into the centre of Maracay on Tuesday as law and order breaks down across Venezuela

'I am not exaggerating when I say it would have involved the arrival of American ships and troops in Venezuelan waters, on Venezuelan soil,' Maduro said.

And on Saturday the head of the Organization of American States dug his heels in a war of words with Caracas, flatly rejecting its demand that he resign.

Maduro had suggested that Luis Almagro - who has criticized the Venezuelan government for violating human rights, interfering in elections and detaining political prisoners - step down in exchange for the country's continued membership in the regional body.

Though Almagro dismissed that notion, the OAS General Assembly was unable to reach agreement on a plan to deal with the instability in Venezuela at a meeting in Cancun last week.