The US Department of State called the “next disinformation campaign” accusations of the Venezuelan government of attempting to invade and overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, El País reports. Nevertheless, Miraflores insists that among more than a dozen detainees after the attempted “naval invasion” there are former US soldiers.
In Venezuela after the attempt “maritime invasion“At least 11 people were detained through a port in La Guaira near Caracas, including two US citizens, El País reports. At the same time, at least eight people were killed in a clash with the security forces of Venezuela.
According to the government of President Nicolas Maduro, a group of militants with the support of Colombia and the United States was supposed to provoke an uprising and overthrow the current government. According to the publication, the events of early May will complicate the already tense relations between Caracas and Washington.
US citizens detained during the operation are Luke Denman and Aaron Berry. According to Maduro, these are two former soldiers with American passports and experience in participating in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreas calls the actions of the militants “assault”, And Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez linked opposition leader Juan Guaido with him.
“This new attack is part of the expanding aggression and provocation organized by the United States. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela holds the governments of Donald Trump and Ivan Duque responsible for the unpredictable and dangerous consequences of this wave of provocations and aggression by mercenaries“, The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Nevertheless, US leader Trump rejected all allegations of his administration’s involvement in the so-called Operation Gideon, despite the allegedly confessing testimony of the detained Americans. The US State Department called the statements of the Venezuelan government “another disinformation campaign“.
In addition, the Venezuelan opposition questioned the veracity of the information provided by the Maduro government. They found that in Miraflores they are trying to take advantage of the situation, as well as a pandemic, to increase repression. However, according to El País, at least two of the opposition members on the video circulating on social networks since Sunday announced a rebellion to overthrow the current government.
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