Caracas, March 14 (RHC)-- Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab has reported the arrest of two individuals who intended to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Whillfer Piña and Renzo Flores, who are members of the "Radical Cause" organization, were detained for making threats against the Bolivarian leader.  Authorities apprehended them in Maturin on March 11th.

During the arrest operation, authorities seized a cell phone containing WhatsApp conversations mentioning armed individuals wearing masks.  Flores claimed to have met Piña about eight months ago.  During their meeting, Piña mentioned having contacted former classmates from the Military Academy to recruit 50 soldiers, seize a tank and weapons arsenal from a military facility, and carry out a coup d'état.

"To those who think that detaining these individuals for threatening the life of President Maduro is excessive, I remind them of the long history of detentions and convictions in the United States for threats against various presidents of that country," Saab said.

On March 11th, President Maduro traveled to Maturin to participate in a massive meeting and broadcast the TV program "With Maduro +."  This information was known to the coup plotters.

Saab emphasized that the plan undoubtedly bears the characteristics of having been devised by the same intellectual and material authors "inside and outside the country."

The Attorney General's Office accused Piña and Flores of conspiracy, unlawful association, and attempted assassination.