Caracas, March 27 (RHC)-- Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab Friday offered details on the actions his country initiated against opposition deputy Juan Guaido and others who were involved in planning a coup d'état against President Nicolas Maduro.
Specifically, Saab reported that he has requested the extradition of former major Cliver Alcala and Juvenal Sequea from Colombia. They have been accused of the crimes of treason, illicit arms trafficking, terrorism and attempted assassination.
On Wednesday, Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez revealed the existence of a plan whereby U.S.-backed terrorist groups, which have received training in Colombia, would try to assassinate President Maduro and other Venezuelan top officials.
On Thursday, former Venezuelan military officer Alcala acknowledged his participation in a conspiracy designed in Colombia and the United States. Through a video posted on social networks, he pointed out that Juan Guaido, Leopoldo Lopez, Ivan Simonovis and U.S. advisors were implicated in the attempted assassination.
"Cliver Alcala confirmed the facts yesterday. In his statement, he revealed that it was carried out under the instructions of Juan Guaido and U.S. advisers," AG Saab recalled.
According to reports, the conspirators set up training camps for mercenaries in Colombia. From there, they attempted to introduce weapons worth $500,000 into Venezuela. On March 23rd, however, in a routine control activity carried out on the Cienaga-Barranquilla highway, Colombian police detected the arsenal and seized it.
"The arsenal would be used against the country's authorities amid the COVID-19 pandemic," Saab explained and recalled that while the conspirators spend money on terrorist actions, the U.S. financial blockade prevents Bolivarian people from buying medicine.
For its part, the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) Friday ratified its categorical rejection of new attempts to destabilize Venezuela sponsored by the United States. "The FANB is a monolithic body to defend Venezuela from external and internal enemies," the FANB Strategic Operational Command chief Remigio Ceballos said.
