Caracas, May 11 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has revealed that an army general who had been recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA, was one of the masterminds behind the coup attempt of April 30th. 

General Manuel Ricardo Cristopher Figuera had been working with the CIA for over a year, according to new information made public by the Venezuelan president.  Nicolas Maduro noted that the general was the former director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) and that he has been expelled and demoted along with 54 other traitors.

During the graduation speech at the 16th Victor’s Parade of the “Mision Ribas” in the halls of Miraflores Palace, President Maduro revealed that he was alerted to Cristopher Figuera’s intentions a week before he acted on them.  In fact, he said, on April 30th, the CIA agent was meant to be replaced by Chief General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez.

"It was General Padrino Lopez, Maikel Moreno and General Hernandez Dala who warned me of the strange behavior of this general who would be dismissed from office and arrested on Tuesday,  April 30th at 9 a.m."