Detonations and Low-Flying Planes Witnessed in Venezuela's Capital City Caracas
Accounts emerged of numerous blasts and the sound of low-altitude aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the small hours of Saturday morning. The incident has sparked accusations from the Venezuelan leadership and demands for global scrutiny.
Venezuela Accuses United States of Military Action
The socialist regime has condemned the US of committing "imperialist aggression," stating that ex- President Donald Trump allegedly ordered military strikes against the Latin American country. In an official declaration, the government asserted that strikes had hit Caracas and several other states: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua state.
"The primary goal of this attack is to take control of our nation's key assets, especially its oil and resources," the government asserted.
The government urged the global community to condemn the operations, which it described a "flagrant violation of global law" that placed countless of civilians in peril.
Reports of Blasts and Military Installations Hit
Residents reported feeling roughly several explosions around 2 a.m. in the morning. Citizens in different areas reportedly ran into the open.
"The whole ground shook. This is terrifying. We experienced explosions and jets in the sky," commented one local.
Black smoke was reported rising from key military installations in the city: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna base army base, where president Nicolás Maduro is reported to reside.
Regional Response
The leader of neighboring Colombia, wrote on social media that "Currently they are striking Venezuela... bombing it with projectiles." He requested an urgent emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Colombia, which recently joined the Security Council, announced it would initiate defense plans at its shared border with Venezuela.
Preceding Events
The alleged attacks come after a extended military buildup by the United States against the Venezuelan regime. Since August, there has been a significant US military presence off Venezuela's Caribbean coast and a number of air strikes on vessels linked to illegal activities.
The government has declared "a state of external threat" and directed all defense protocols to be activated. It has also called on its political forces to mobilize and "repudiate this foreign attack."
US authorities and the Defense Department did not publicly responded to requests for clarification regarding the reports.
