Caracas, September 11 (RHC)-- Diosdado Cabello, speaker of the ruling Constituent Assembly of Venezuela has asserted that the U.S. was behind the failed drone assassination of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on August 4th.
"The presidential assassination that was stopped was led by the United States. Is there anyone who has any doubt?" Cabello said at an event held by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) on Monday.
Washington "acknowledges having met at least three times with military coup leaders to carry out a coup," added Cabello, linking the failed assassination to a recent report that revealed U.S. plans to instigate a coup against the Venezuelan president.
Cabello's remarks come after Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza had denounced what he called U.S. cooperation with anti-government rebels in the country. "We denounce before the international community the intervention plans and the support of military plots against Venezuela by the United States government," announced the foreign minister in a tweet, adding: "Even in the U.S. media, new and blatant evidence has come to light."
The Venezuelan foreign minister's statements were made in reference to a New York Times revelation that claimed Trump administration officials had discussed toppling the Venezuelan President with insurgent Venezuelan military officers.
The New York Times piece revealed that three meetings were held between mutinous Venezuelan military officials and an American diplomat, after Trump had signaled U.S. interest in military interference by declaring that the U.S. had a "military option" for Venezuela.
The Americans apparently never contributed or clearly endorsed the rebel's plans, according to the New York Times. However, the meetings could've been seen by the rebels as an obvious sign of U.S. approval. "The mere presence of a U.S. official at such a meeting would likely be perceived as encouragement," commented George Washington University historian Peter Kornbluh on the revelations.
The report comes amid increased speculation among Venezuelan officials of the U.S. being behind recent armed attacks on the Venezuelan government. A rogue faction of Venezuelan police attacked the country's Supreme Court in Caracas last year, dropping grenades on the building. Two drones also targeted an assembly addressed by Maduro on the 4th of August. Independent observers have suspected possible U.S. involvement.
American officials have however openly talked of military intervention and coups in Venezuela. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, has been a vocal supporter of armed interference in Venezuela, promoting the idea on numerous occasions.
