Detonations and Low-Flying Jets Reported in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas City
Witness testimonies surfaced of multiple blasts and the sound of low-flying jets in Caracas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. This event has prompted claims from the Venezuelan leadership and requests for global scrutiny.
Caracas Blames Washington of Military Action
The socialist regime has accused the United States of what it calls "imperialist aggression," alleging that former President Trump reportedly authorized military strikes against the Latin American nation. In an public declaration, the government confirmed that attacks had hit Caracas and three other provinces: Miranda state, La Guaira, and Aragua state.
"The primary goal of these strikes is to take control of our nation's key assets, especially its crude oil and mineral wealth," the government declared.
Caracas called on the global community to condemn the operations, which it described a "blatant breach of international law" that endangered countless of lives in peril.
Reports of Explosions and Military Installations Hit
Residents described experiencing at least multiple powerful blasts around 2 a.m. local time. Citizens in several areas allegedly ran into the open.
"The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We experienced blasts and jets in the sky," commented one local.
Black smoke was reported rising from major defense sites in Caracas: the La Carlota airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where leader Maduro is believed to have a residence.
Global Reaction
The leader of bordering Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated on a social platform that "At this moment they are bombing Venezuela... attacking it with missiles." He requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
Colombia, which recently joined the Security Council, announced it would activate operational plans at its shared border with its neighbor.
Preceding Events
The alleged strikes come after a months-long campaign of pressure by the Trump administration against the Maduro administration. Since last summer, there has been a significant American military deployment off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of air strikes on vessels accused of narco-trafficking.
Venezuela's administration has declared "the implementation of external threat" and ordered all national defence plans to be implemented. It has also called on its political forces to protest and "repudiate this external attack."
The White House and the US Department of Defense did not promptly commented on requests for comment regarding the allegations.
