Venezuela kills ‘mercenaries’
Venezuelan officials said they foiled an early morning attempt by a group of armed ‘‘mercenaries’’ to invade the country in a beach landing using speedboats yesterday, killing eight attackers and arresting two more.
Socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello said that two of the attackers were interrogated by authorities. Cabello said it was carried out by neighbouring Colombia with the United States backing the plot to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro – a claim dismissed by US and Colombian officials.
‘‘Those who assume they can attack the institutional framework in Venezuela will have to assume the consequences of their action,’’ said Cabello, adding that one of the detained claimed to be an agent of the US Drug Enforcement
Administration.
Authorities said they found Peruvian documents, highcalibre weapons, satellite phones, uniforms and helmets adorned with the US flag.
Both Colombia and the United States have repeatedly denied previous Venezuelan allegations of backing military plots against the socialist government.
‘‘We have little reason to believe anything that comes out of the former regime,’’ said a spokesperson with the State Department Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, speaking yesterday on condition of anonymity, referring to Maduro’s government. ‘‘The Maduro regime has been consistent in its use of misinformation in order to shift focus from its mismanagement of Venezuela.’’
Colombia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry also rejected the claims made by what it called ‘‘Maduro’s dictatorial regime.’’
Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol described the attackers as ‘‘mercenary terrorists’’ bent on destabilising Venezuela’s institutions and creating ‘‘chaos.’’ Officials said the attack took place on a beach in La Guaira, about 32km from Caracas and home to the nation’s largest airport.
Authorities say the attackers had vehicles and heavy arms waiting for them in the port city.
Venezuela has been in a deepening political and economic crisis in recent years under Maduro’s rule. Crumbling public services such as running water, electricity and medical care has driven nearly 5 million to migrate.
A coalition of nearly 60 nations backs opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, saying Maduro’s 2018 election was a sham because the most popular opposition candidates were banned from running.
The United States has led a campaign to oust Maduro, increasing pressure in recent weeks by indicting the socialist leader as a narco-trafficker and offering a US$15 million reward for his arrest. The U.S. also has increased stiff sanctions, cutting off Venezuela’s oil sector to choke Maduro from a key source of hard cash. –AP