CARACAS: Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest of 32 individuals, including civilians and soldiers, following an extensive investigation into an alleged US-backed conspiracy to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab stated that all suspects had confessed and provided information about the purported plans, leading to accusations of treason and their conviction. Arrest warrants have been issued for 11 other individuals, including rights activists, journalists, and soldiers in exile, connected to the alleged plot, which also targeted Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.
During a press conference, Padrino revealed that the operation to uncover details of the conspiracy had been kept secret since last year. He attributed the plot to the “far right,” the term commonly used by the Maduro government to refer to the opposition, alleging support from the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A video was released, purportedly implicating opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in the conspiracy. Saab hinted at additional arrests without disclosing specific names.
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President Maduro, elected to a second term in 2018 amid international controversy, has frequently denounced alleged attempts to overthrow his government, often implicating the United States, the opposition, and Colombian drug traffickers as co-conspirators. The sanctions against Maduro’s government have eased following an agreement to hold free and fair elections in 2024 with international observers present. However, political figures like Machado, despite winning significant support in a primary vote, remain barred from holding public office due to allegations of corruption and support for sanctions against Caracas. The UN Human Rights Committee expressed concern about the persecution of dissidents in Venezuela, including arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of journalists, human rights defenders, and political activists, in a report last year. Maduro, yet to confirm whether he will seek another term, continues to address alleged overthrow plans against his presidency.
