Venezuela’s President Maduro escapes ‘drone assassination’ attempt he blames on Colombia
US national security adviser John Bolton denies Washington involvement and suggests the attack could have been ‘a pretext set up by the regime itself’
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Saturday he escaped an “assassination” attempt using an explosive-laden drone, after a live broadcast showed him looking confused when a bang went off during a Caracas military parade and dozens of soldiers scuttling for safety. His government said seven soldiers were wounded in the incident.
“It was an attack to kill me, they tried to assassinate me today,” Maduro said in a later state broadcast, adding that a “flying object exploded in front of me”.
Venezuela’s government said on Sunday it had arrested six “terrorists and hired killers” over the incident.
Interior and Justice Minister Nestor Reverol announced the arrests on state television, saying “several vehicles have been seized and hotel raids carried out in Caracas where important information was collected.”
Maduro accused neighbouring Colombia and unidentified “financiers” in the United States, while some of his officials blamed Venezuela’s opposition.
Colombia denied any involvement. A senior Colombian official speaking on condition of anonymity said Maduro’s accusation was “baseless”.
