Blasts and Low-Flying Planes Witnessed in Venezuelan Capital City Caracas City
Witness testimonies surfaced of several detonations and the noise of low-altitude aircraft in Caracas in the pre-dawn hours of Saturday. This situation has sparked allegations from Venezuela's authorities and calls for international intervention.
Venezuela Condemns US of Aggression
Venezuela's socialist regime has accused the Washington of committing "imperialist aggression," claiming that former President Trump supposedly directed strikes against the Latin American nation. In an public announcement, the government stated that attacks had targeted Caracas and three other regions: Miranda state, La Guaira, and Aragua state.
"The sole aim of this attack is to take control of our nation's natural resources, notably its crude oil and minerals," Venezuela declared.
The government called on the world to censure the actions, which it labeled a "clear infringement of global law" that endangered numerous of civilians in peril.
Accounts of Blasts and Defense Installations Hit
Residents reported experiencing approximately seven explosions around the middle of the night in the morning. Residents in several districts reportedly hurried into the streets.
"The earth trembled. It was terrifying. We experienced explosions and jets in the sky," commented one resident.
Plumes of smoke was reported pouring from key defense sites in Caracas: the La Carlota air base and the Fuerte Tiuna base compound, where president Nicolás Maduro is thought to have a residence.
International Condemnation
The president of neighboring Colombia, wrote on social media that "Currently they are bombing Caracas... attacking it with missiles." He demanded an urgent emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
Colombia, which just joined the Security Council, said it would activate security plans at its border with its neighbor.
Context
The alleged attacks come after a extended pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Maduro regime. Since August, authorities reported a significant American military presence off Venezuela's northern coast and a series of strikes on ships linked to illegal activities.
The government has stated "a state of external disturbance" and ordered all national defense plans to be activated. It has also called on its supporters to mobilize and "reject this external act."
The White House and the Defense Department have not promptly addressed requests for a statement regarding the reports.