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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/26/venezuela-government-says-foiled-plot-to-assassinate-president-maduro
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| Venezuela government says it foiled plot to assassinate President Maduro | |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Venezuelan officials said that they have foiled a plot to overthrow the government that included assassinating President Nicolás Maduro and his closest political allies. | Venezuelan officials said that they have foiled a plot to overthrow the government that included assassinating President Nicolás Maduro and his closest political allies. |
| Maduro’s spokesman, Jorge Rodríguez, said on state television that a network of mostly retired police officers and soldiers planned to bomb a key government building, seize a Caracas air base and loot Venezuela’s central bank. | |
| He also said the plotters wanted to edge the opposition leader Juan Guaidó from Venezuela’s political landscape. Guaidó, leader of the opposition-dominated national assembly, is seeking to oust Maduro from power with backing from more than 50 nations. | |
| The opposition leader Juan Guaidó was almost unknown both inside and outside Venezuela until the start of this year. | The opposition leader Juan Guaidó was almost unknown both inside and outside Venezuela until the start of this year. |
| Guaidó was made chairman of the national assembly in January because it was the turn of his party, Voluntad Popular (People’s Will). At 35, he was a junior member of his party but its leaders were either under house arrest, in hiding or in exile. | Guaidó was made chairman of the national assembly in January because it was the turn of his party, Voluntad Popular (People’s Will). At 35, he was a junior member of his party but its leaders were either under house arrest, in hiding or in exile. |
| He declared himself "interim president" that month, resting his claim on a clause in the constitution that allows the legislature to take power temporarily and call new elections if it deems the president to be failing to fulfil basic duties or to have vacated the post. | He declared himself "interim president" that month, resting his claim on a clause in the constitution that allows the legislature to take power temporarily and call new elections if it deems the president to be failing to fulfil basic duties or to have vacated the post. |
| Guaidó's relative obscurity initially proved an advantage in a country where the opposition has generally failed to distinguish itself, losing its nerve at critical moments, succumbing to infighting, and getting involved in a failed coup against Hugo Chávez in 2002. | Guaidó's relative obscurity initially proved an advantage in a country where the opposition has generally failed to distinguish itself, losing its nerve at critical moments, succumbing to infighting, and getting involved in a failed coup against Hugo Chávez in 2002. |
| He inspired a huge wave of protests inside Venezuela with a message of peaceful change, and won widespread international support. Countries from Europe to the US and regional powers recognised him as Venezuela's legitimate president, handing him control of bank accounts and Venezuelan assets along with the formal recognition. | He inspired a huge wave of protests inside Venezuela with a message of peaceful change, and won widespread international support. Countries from Europe to the US and regional powers recognised him as Venezuela's legitimate president, handing him control of bank accounts and Venezuelan assets along with the formal recognition. |
| As months dragged on however, Guaidó's hope of winning a wave of military defections that would end the rule of Nicolás Maduro seemed to fade, leaving his movement in an uneasy limbo - self-declared president but with no power. | As months dragged on however, Guaidó's hope of winning a wave of military defections that would end the rule of Nicolás Maduro seemed to fade, leaving his movement in an uneasy limbo - self-declared president but with no power. |
| He raised concerns inside Venezuela and internationally when he appeared to hint at the possibility of military intervention after a failed attempt to bring humanitarian aid into the country in February. | He raised concerns inside Venezuela and internationally when he appeared to hint at the possibility of military intervention after a failed attempt to bring humanitarian aid into the country in February. |
| Questions have also been raised about the bedfellows Guaidó has chosen in what he calls his bid to rescue Venezuela. His main international backer is Donald Trump. | Questions have also been raised about the bedfellows Guaidó has chosen in what he calls his bid to rescue Venezuela. His main international backer is Donald Trump. |
| Another key regional supporter is Brazil’s far-right firebrand president, Jair Bolsonaro, known for his hostility to human rights and his fondness for dictatorship. Despite these characteristics, Guaidó has praised what he called Bolsonaro’s “commitment to and for democracy [and] human rights”. | Another key regional supporter is Brazil’s far-right firebrand president, Jair Bolsonaro, known for his hostility to human rights and his fondness for dictatorship. Despite these characteristics, Guaidó has praised what he called Bolsonaro’s “commitment to and for democracy [and] human rights”. |
| Rodríguez said the purported network wanted to steal a helicopter to liberate Raúl Baduel, a former defense minister now in jail and install him as president. | Rodríguez said the purported network wanted to steal a helicopter to liberate Raúl Baduel, a former defense minister now in jail and install him as president. |
| The government has claimed various plots over the years, generally offering little or no evidence to back its charges. The opposition contends Maduro uses such claims to justify his crackdown on dissent. | The government has claimed various plots over the years, generally offering little or no evidence to back its charges. The opposition contends Maduro uses such claims to justify his crackdown on dissent. |
| Guaidó dismissed the latest claim as yet another attempt by the government to distract from Venezuela’s real problems. | Guaidó dismissed the latest claim as yet another attempt by the government to distract from Venezuela’s real problems. |
| Maduro came under attack last August by two drones loaded with explosives, which detonated near the president while he spoke at an outdoor military celebration. He was not harmed in the attack, which officials called an assassination attempt. | Maduro came under attack last August by two drones loaded with explosives, which detonated near the president while he spoke at an outdoor military celebration. He was not harmed in the attack, which officials called an assassination attempt. |
| Rodríguez charged that the Colombian president, Iván Duque, and his Chilean counterpart, Sebastián Piñera, backed the purportedly thwarted coup plot, but he did not provide evidence. | |
| Rodríguez showed what he said were scenes from 56 hours of intercepted video conference calls with the alleged plotters hashing out strategy for the attack planned for 23 June. | |
| The spokesman said the first lady, Cilia Flores, and Diosdado Cabello, leader of Venezuela’s governing socialist party, were among those also targeted for assassination. | |
| Venezuela | Venezuela |
| Americas | Americas |
| Nicolás Maduro | Nicolás Maduro |
| Juan Guaidó | Juan Guaidó |
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