Blasts and Low-Flying Planes Heard in Venezuelan Capital City Caracas City
Reports emerged of multiple blasts and the sound of low-flying jets in the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday morning. This event has led to accusations from Venezuela's authorities and requests for global action.
Venezuela Condemns US of Aggression
Venezuela's incumbent regime has accused the Washington of what it calls "imperial aggression," stating that former President Donald Trump reportedly directed military strikes against the Latin American nation. In an formal statement, the government asserted that strikes had impacted Caracas and several other regions: Miranda, La Guaira, and Aragua state.
"The sole aim of this aggression is to seize control of Venezuela's strategic resources, especially its oil and minerals," the government said.
The government appealed to the international community to condemn the actions, which it termed a "clear infringement of international law" that put millions of lives at risk in peril.
Accounts of Blasts and Military Sites Targeted
Residents described hearing approximately seven powerful blasts around 2:00 AM in the morning. Residents in different areas reportedly hurried into the open.
"The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We experienced blasts and aircraft in the sky," said one resident.
Black smoke was seen billowing from key military installations in Caracas: the La Carlota airbase airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base military base, where leader Maduro is believed to reside.
Global Condemnation
The president of bordering Colombia, Gustavo Petro, claimed on a social platform that "Currently they are bombing Venezuela... bombing it with projectiles." He called for an swift emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
The Colombian government, which just became a member of the Security Council, announced it would activate security measures at its shared border with its neighbor.
Background
The alleged strikes come after a prolonged pressure campaign by the United States against the Maduro government. Since last summer, there has been a significant American military deployment off Venezuela's Caribbean coast and a series of airstrikes on vessels linked to drug trafficking.
Venezuela's administration has stated "a state of external threat" and directed all national defense measures to be activated. It has also urged its political forces to mobilize and "repudiate this foreign aggression."
American officials and the Defense Department did not publicly responded to requests for comment regarding the reports.
