CARACAS – During a military parade on last Saturday, President Nicolás Maduro was presumably attacked by drones packed with explosive C-4. At least seven people were injured. Interior minister Néstor Reverol said they have arrested the perpetrators, as Maduro points at the right-wing joined to former Colombian president Santos as the brain behind the attack.
At the middle of the president’s speech for the National Guard’s 81st anniversary, two drones loaded with C-4 detonated near the military parade. President Maduro was immediately taken out of the place after hearing the detonations nearby. The explosions caused a wave of military officers breaking range and running away, and around seven people were wounded.
The Venezuela’s government said it was an assassination attempt, fixed up by a right-wing coalition, but president Maduro named Colombia’s former president Juan Manuel Santos as the one responsible behind the assassination attempt. ”Everything points to a right-wing plot, linked to Colombia and the American state of Florida, where many Venezuelan exiles live” president Maduro said.
In addition, Maduro remarked that the attacks were clearly pointed directly at him. “This was an assassination attempt, they tried to assassinate me. The drone was coming for me but there was a shield of love. I am sure I will live for many more years” Maduro told the Venezuelan press.
Response Colombian government
In response to the accusations, a Colombian government source remarked that Santos had nothing to do with the attack, and that Maduro’s allegations were absurd as former president Santos was ´doing more important things´, like celebrating his granddaughter’s baptism.
According to the news EFE, the government declared that the perpetrators are clearly identified, and that they are under investigation for possible international connection. This Monday, national prosecutor Tarek William Saab released to the press that “the first international connections are unveiled” but he didn’t provide more details.
A group named the National Movement of Soldiers in T-shirts declared on social media that they were responsible of the attack, named “Phoenix operation”. In the media, the group explained how they set up drones to fly and bomb the target (Maduro), but snipers shot them down before it happened. “We demonstrated that they are vulnerable. We didn’t have success today, but it’s just a question of time” the group said.
El presidente Maduro fue atacado aparentemente por drones cargados con explosivos;hay otras versiones pic.twitter.com/2RJA2Ny9oT
— Fred Alvarez Palafox (@fredalvarez) August 4, 2018
There are a different version about the event. The Associated Press reported that someone on condition of anonymity said it was just a gas tank explosion inside a nearby apartment.
National prosecutor Tarek William Saab asked the international community to help Venezuela to bring the terrorist to justice. During a press conference this Tuesday, the prosecutor said that other countries have the obligation of extraditing those who helped planning Maduro’s assassination.
