Blasts and Low-Flying Jets Witnessed in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas City
Witness testimonies surfaced of multiple detonations and the sound of low-altitude planes in the Venezuelan capital in the pre-dawn hours of the weekend. The event has prompted allegations from Venezuela's government and demands for diplomatic intervention.
Venezuela Blames US of Aggression
The authoritarian regime has accused the United States of what it calls "imperialist aggression," stating that former President Trump reportedly ordered military strikes against the South American country. In an formal announcement, the government asserted that attacks had impacted Caracas and three other provinces: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua.
"Our only objective of this aggression is to gain control of Venezuela's natural resources, notably its crude oil and mineral wealth," the statement said.
Venezuelan officials urged the world to censure the operations, which it termed a "clear infringement of global law" that put countless of lives in peril.
Reports of Blasts and Military Bases Hit
Eyewitnesses reported experiencing approximately several powerful blasts around 2 a.m. local time. People in several areas reportedly hurried into the streets outside.
"The whole ground shook. It was horrible. We experienced explosions and jets in the distance," commented one local.
Black smoke was reported billowing from key defense sites in Caracas: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where leader Maduro is believed to live.
International Condemnation
The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, wrote on a social platform that "At this moment they are striking Caracas... bombing it with missiles." He demanded an swift emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Colombian government, which just joined the UNSC, said it would initiate security measures at its shared border with its neighbor.
Preceding Events
The reported strikes follow a months-long pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Venezuelan administration. Beginning in last summer, there has been a major US military buildup off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of air strikes on ships accused of drug trafficking.
The administration has declared "a state of external threat" and commanded all defense plans to be activated. It has also summoned its political forces to mobilize and "repudiate this external act."
US authorities and the Defense Department did not publicly addressed inquiries for clarification regarding the allegations.
