Explosions and Low-Flying Aircraft Heard in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas City
Reports emerged of numerous explosions and the roar of low-altitude jets in Caracas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning. The situation has prompted allegations from the Venezuelan government and demands for diplomatic intervention.
Venezuela Condemns US of Attack
Venezuela's socialist regime has blamed the US of committing "foreign aggression," stating that ex- President Trump supposedly directed strikes against the Latin American nation. In an public declaration, the authorities asserted that strikes had hit the capital and three other provinces: Miranda state, La Guaira, and Aragua.
"The only objective of these strikes is to gain control of our nation's natural resources, especially its oil and minerals," the statement asserted.
Venezuelan officials called on the global community to denounce the operations, which it termed a "clear infringement of international norms" that endangered numerous of lives in jeopardy.
Accounts of Explosions and Defense Sites Targeted
Residents reported feeling approximately multiple powerful blasts around the middle of the night in the morning. People in several districts allegedly rushed into the open.
"The whole ground shook. It was horrible. We heard blasts and jets in the sky," commented one witness.
Plumes of smoke was seen billowing from major defense sites in the city: the La Carlota airbase air base and the Fuerte Tiuna army base, where leader Nicolás Maduro is thought to reside.
Regional Reaction
The leader of bordering Colombia, Gustavo Petro, claimed on social media that "At this moment they are striking Venezuela... bombing it with missiles." He called for an swift emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Colombian government, which recently became a member of the UNSC, said it would initiate operational measures at its frontier with its neighbor.
Context
These alleged attacks are preceded by a prolonged military buildup by the US against the Venezuelan regime. Since August, authorities reported a significant naval presence off Venezuela's northern coast and a series of airstrikes on boats accused of drug trafficking.
The government has announced "a state of external threat" and directed all national defence plans to be activated. It has also urged its supporters to protest and "reject this foreign attack."
The White House and the Defense Department did not immediately responded to inquiries for comment regarding the reports.
