Published 12:01 IST, May 8th 2020
Venezuela: Opposition raid to remove Maduro foiled, US democrats question Trump
Members of Venezuela’s opposition in October negotiated a $213 million deal with a small Florida security company to invade the country and overthrow Maduro.
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Members of Venezuela’s opposition in October negotiated a $213 million deal with a small Florida security company to invade the country and overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, a document published in an American daily revealed. Following the revelation, Venezuelan authorities have arrested more than a dozen people including American employees of the Florida based firm, Silvercop. Two of them came on Venezuelan state TV and revealed that they had been tasked by Silvercop with taking control of the airport in Caracas in order to fly out the president.
This publication deals a severe blow to the opposition leader Juan Guaido who had denied association to Silvercop or any conspiracy to remove Maduro. Meanwhile, Guaido had repeatedly argued that Maduro rigged the 2018 presidential elections and has been misusing power since his election to the post. Currently, Guaido, the member of the National Assembly is recognised by hundreds of Venezuelan as the country's leader.
Apart from the ongoing Presidential crisis in the South American country, another dispute started on January 5, after the National Assembly Delegated Committee election resulted in claimed victories by both Guaido and legislator Luis Parra as the President of National Assembly.
Repercussions in America
Meanwhile, this incident has had repercussions in the US. Three Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have demanded answers from the Trump administration about how much it knew about an attempted raid to capture the Venezuelan President, an operation they said potentially violated US law and ran counter to American support for negotiations to end the South American country’s political standoff.
In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Attorney General William Barr and Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, the lawmakers led by Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed “alarm” about the raid led by a former Green Beret and which has resulted in the detention in Venezuela of two American citizens.
(Image credits: AP)
12:00 IST, May 8th 2020