Maduro’s Government Claims It Has Killed Eight Mercenaries From A Frustrated “Maritime Invasion” | International

Nicolás Maduro’s government assures that this Sunday morning foiled a maritime incursion of “terrorist mercenaries” along the coast of La Guaira, near Caracas. Eight people died in the incident. The official version indicates that the deceased were all assailants and that it is a group of mercenaries. “We denounce that a group of terrorist mercenaries from Colombia tried to carry out an invasion by sea with the aim of committing terrorist acts, assassinate leaders of the revolutionary government, increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion and thereby lead to a new one attempted coup d’état, ”Minister of Interior and Justice Néstor Reverol said in televised statements.

The Government’s version indicates that the command arrived in a speedboat to the town of Macuto, 32 kilometers from the Venezuelan capital, and had six vehicles on the ground. Eight of the armed men were killed by agents of the National Armed Forces and the FAES (Bolivarian Police Special Actions Force). And that among the dead is Captain Roberto Colina Ybarra (aka Pantera), 36, a deserter linked to Major General Clíver Alcalá. He confessed a month ago in a video recorded in Colombia that he organized a conspiracy against Maduro from there. Alcalá was arrested shortly after and turned over to the United States authorities, who accuse him of drug trafficking.

The Maduro government He has assured this Sunday that two of those involved in the operation have been arrested and 10 assault rifles, a pistol, two machine guns, cartridges, radio transmitters and a military helmet with the insignia of the United States flag have been seized. To repel the incursion, military and police forces were mobilized. They also used helicopters to locate the bodies that fell into the sea. A witness related to a local journalist who was caring for fishing boats in the area when he witnessed the incident. He said that several agents of the Bolivarian police special forces came shooting in all directions and into the water. “They started to shoot like crazy and we ran to take shelter with a partner,” he said in a video posted on social networks.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino has not made a statement. Those responsible for reporting the incident have been the Interior Minister, the Information Minister, Jorge Rodríguez, and the President of the National Constituent Assembly, Diosdado Cabello. “There can be no doubt about the participation of the Colombian government. The boats left their territory, according to information from the GPS. We reject that the Government of the United States and Colombia want to continue undermining the foundations of this Bolivarian Government, financing coups d’état, ”Cabello declared at a press conference hours after the operation. “Behind this is the United States, the Colombian oligarchy and drug trafficking. One of the detainees, a Venezuelan, claimed to be a DEA official, ”said the president of the Chavista Chamber. Since Maduro came to power seven years ago, he has denounced dozens of attacks, conspiracies, and attempted coups. More than a hundred military personnel are in prison for being allegedly involved in uprisings as well as civilians, accused of operating plans against them. According to the Penal Forum in Venezuela, an NGO defending human rights, there are 347 political prisoners in the country, 80 of them imprisoned between March and April.

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