Copter strafes court in ‘terrorist attack’
A police helicopter fired on Venezuela’s Supreme Court and Interior Ministry in what President Nicolas Maduro said was a thwarted terrorist attack aimed at ousting him from power. The confusing incident, which may ratchet up tensions in a country already paralyzed by months of deadly anti-government protests, took place as Maduro was speaking live on state television Tuesday. He later said the helicopter had fired on the pro-government court with grenades, one of which didn’t go off, helping avoid any loss of life.
Pictures of a blue police helicopter carrying an anti-government banner appeared on social media around the same time as a video in which an apparent police pilot and budding action movie actor, identified as Oscar Perez, called for a rebellion against Maduro’s “tyranny.” He said he was part of a coalition of members of the country’s security forces. Authorities said they were still searching for the man. “We have two choices: be judged tomorrow by our conscience and the people or begin today to free ourselves from this corrupt government,” the man said while reading from a statement with four figures dressed in military fatigues, ski masks and carrying what looked like assault rifles standing behind him.
There was no sign of any other police or troops taking part an uprising. Many of Maduro’s opponents took to social media to accuse the president of orchestrating an elaborate ruse to justify a crackdown against Venezuelans seeking to block his plans to rewrite the constitution. Venezuela has been roiled by anti-government protests the past three months that have left at least 75 people dead and hundreds injured.
After the incident, Maduro sounded alternately calm and angry as he told the audience about what had happened in the airspace just beyond the presidential palace. “It could’ve caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured,” he said, calling it a “terrorist attack.” Information Minister Ernesto Villegas later read a statement accusing those in the helicopter of firing 15 shots against the Interior Ministry as a reception was taking place for 80 people celebrating national journalist’s day. It then flew a short distance to the court, which was in session, and launched what he said were four Israeli-made grenades of “Colombian origin,” two of them against national guardsmen protecting the building.
The pro-government president of the high court said there were no injuries from the attack and there were no visible signs of damage outside either of the government buildings yesterday morning. Villegas said security forces were being deployed to apprehend Perez as well as recover the stolen German-built Bolkow helicopter. — AFP