Venezuelan Minister of the Interior, Justice and Peace Nestor Reverol reported yesterday, May 3, the capture of an armed group which attempted to enter the country, landing on the coastline in the state of La Guaira, 30 kilometers from Caracas.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López issued a statement indicating that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces categorically rejects such acts of irrational violence, while reiterating “absolute loyalty to Nicolas Maduro Moros, constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our commander in chief,” the Russian agency Sputnik reported.
The minister stressed that the maritime incursion was planned to smuggle weapons into the country to be distributed to mercenaries in several regions, as part of a strategy to increase violence, generate chaos and confusion in the population, assassinate political leaders and provoke a coup. >The second phase of a military exercise entitled Bolivarian Shield is underway, and the Bolivarian army is extending its presence throughout the country, with emphasis on the entire coastline, with extreme air, sea and land vigilance, to detect any other elements that may attempt to enter and destabilize the nation, Padrino stated.
The Venezuelan Public Ministry has assigned two prosecutors to investigate the events, while Attorney General Tarek William Saab tweeted: “We have designated prosecutors 73 and 74 with full jurisdiction to investigate the naval incursion in Macuto, via Colombia, which sought to provoke a coup and attempt assassinations in our country.
The detainees are now in the custody of the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” adding that the suspects were carrying more than 20 rifles and other high-caliber weapons. Venezuelan authorities reported that the confrontation left eight dead, while two individuals were detained, and a number of sophisticated weapons, six vehicles and satellite telephones were confiscated.
(Source: Granma)