Caracas, June 28 (RHC-teleSUR)-- Venezuelans held a mass march and rally on Wednesday to show their support for the National Constituent Assembly and against the terrorist attacks of the opposition.
Hundreds of thousands marched through the main streets of the Venezuelan capital to Miraflores Palace to protest last night's aerial attack on government buildings.
A helicopter from Venezuela's Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations agency was stolen Tuesday evening, circled around the Supreme Court building, firing shots at the building and tossing four grenades, three of which exploded.
The top court's building in northern Caracas was sealed off after the national guard repelled the attack, which occurred around 5 p.m. local time.
A banner was unfurled from the helicopter that read, "350 Libertad," in reference to Article 350 of the Bolivarian Constitution that opposition forces are attempting to invoke to stop the National Constituent Assembly.
The Minister of Communications and Information Ernesto Villegas denounced the armed attack, identifying Oscar Alberto Perez as the pilot who shot 15 times at the Interior Ministry, where 80 people were still at work. He then headed to the TSJ, where a session of the Constitutional Court was taking place. Perez is said to be an inspector with the CICPC and took off from the La Carlota airbase with the stolen helicopter.
President Nicolas Maduro said that because of the rapid reaction to the coup attempt by Venezuelan forces, many civilian lives were saved. He said: "We are going to capture the person responsible for this terrorist act," indicating that the pilot works for Miguel Rodriguez Torres, who is being investigated for ties to the DEA and CIA.
Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno said that damages to the building were being assessed and said the court would later release a statement.