Venezuelan authorities say they have foiled a raid by “foreign mercenaries” trying to reach the Latin American nation by sea to launch terrorist attacks and assassinate government officials.
A group of mercenaries have tried to infiltrate Venezuela’s major port of La Guaira, located just north of the nation’s capital of Caracas, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said in a televised address. The incident, which the minister called “an invasion by sea,” was part of preparations for another coup attempt, he added.
#Video Declaraciones del Ministro @NestorLReverol quien informó que fue frustrada una incursión de terroristas por vía Marítima en Macuto estado La Guaira. En el hecho hay abatidos y capturados. pic.twitter.com/kRS5T9S4Co
The militants sought to reach Venezuelan shores on speedboats but were intercepted by the police, National Guard and military counterintelligence units.
The minister published photos of arms and equipment seized from the “invaders” on his Instagram account. Reverol said that six militants were killed, including a local field commander, while two more were detained. The Venezuelan security forces confiscated six trucks and a boat as well as ten assault rifles and two machine guns with a large number of munitions.
Informamos al país que durante el fallido intento de incursión por vías marítimas en #Macuto, estado #LaGuaira, nuestros efectivos de la Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana y los organismos de seguridad ciudadana, han abatido seis terroristas entre los que se encuentra el Capitán Robert Colina alias “Pantera”, relacionado con diferentes planes de desestabilización de la derecha venezolana. También fueron capturados dos mercenarios, se incautaron 10 fusiles, 2 ametralladoras Afag, las cuales fueron robadas del Palacio Federal Legislativo en abril de 2019. Igualmente se decomisaron 6 camionetas y una lancha con 2 motores fuera de borda, como parte de la logística que sería usada para concretar actos terroristas. Nuestra #Fanb y los organismos de seguridad ciudadana continúan en el desarrollo de estas acciones para garantizar la soberanía y la #paz de todos los venezolanos. #3May #Venezuela #Terrorismo #Mpprijp #Faes #Seguridad #Soberanía
The photos published by the minister demonstrate one of these trucks with a machine gun mounted on it and the pick-up body cluttered with ammunition belts. Reverol said that the operation against the militants was still ongoing and did not rule out “more arrests.”
The interior minister denounced the “invasion” as another desperate attempt by foreign imperialists to overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro. He did not accuse any particular nation of orchestrating the incursion, but said the militants came from Colombia.
The incident comes around a year after a failed military coup attempt led by the Venezuelan opposition headed by Juan Guaido, a lawmaker who declared himself ‘interim president’ months prior and has been actively supported by the US and its allies ever since.
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