Investigators hunting for assailants behind a failed attempt to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with explosives-laden drones have raided hotels and seized vehicles, while grilling six suspects for details of the plot.
The Venezuelan government on Sunday alleged that the detained suspects conspired with others in Miami, Florida, and in Bogota, Colombia, although it offered no specific evidence.
Opposition leaders criticized Maduro for broadly singling out his political opponents and warned that he might use the attack to further suppress his critics.
Photo: AP
The attack came as Venezuela is reeling from an economic and humanitarian crisis and Maduro has grown increasingly isolated.
Maduro and his allies called the attack direct proof that an international plot to overthrow his socialist administration exists, while also saying that the military’s response shows that he still has the loyalty of Venezuela’s soldiers.
However, an analyst said that the images broadcast live on TV when the attack struck during a speech on Saturday evening made him appear vulnerable.
“Seeing trained soldiers fleeing in apparent panic and disarray before an explosion strongly contrasts with the idea of monolithic control and loyalty of security forces that Maduro prides himself on,” New York-based investment firm Torino Capital investment said.
Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on Sunday on state TV that the attackers were trying to wipe out Venezuela’s entire top leadership, along with Maduro.
Two drones, each packed with 1kg of C-4 plastic explosive, were flown toward Maduro, his wife and other top leaders as the president spoke to hundreds of troops during an event celebrating the 81st anniversary of the Venezuelan National Guard, Venezuelan Minister of the Interior Nestor Reverol said.
One of the drones was intended to explode above Maduro and the other was to detonate directly in front of him, Reverol said.
The military managed to knock one of the drones off course electronically and the other craft crashed into an apartment building two blocks away, Reverol said.
“We have six terrorists and assassins detained,” he said. “In the next hours there could be more arrests.”
Two of those arrested had previous run-ins with the government, Reverol said, but did not give their names.
He said that one suspect took part in 2014 anti-government protests that rocked Venezuela as it descended deeper into an economic crisis that is now worse than the Great Depression.
The other had a warrant out for his arrest for participating in an attack on a military barracks, Reverol said.
Investigators continued searching the blackened apartment building near the speech site.
Authorities said that officers also raided six hotels, where some of the suspects were arrested and “film” evidence was collected.
Officials gave no details.
Two people who live in nearby apartment buildings said they saw a drone hovering over a residential street on Saturday evening and then heard an explosion.
One showed reporters cellphone video of a drone crashing into a building.
He said that the drone fell to the ground and exploded, igniting a fire in an apartment.
The other, Mairum Gonzalez, described running in panic to her fifth-floor balcony, where she heard the second explosion and saw smoke rising.
“It was so strong the building shook,” she said. “It terrified me.”
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