Venezuelan authorities have arrested 32 people, civilians and soldiers, accused of "betrayal of the homeland" as part of "five conspiracies" to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, the prosecutor's office announced on Monday January 22.  

“All the detainees (...) confessed and revealed information about plans against the Venezuelan people and democratic society,” Attorney General Tarek William Saab told reporters.

Tarek William Saab, a pro-government figure, said that 11 other people, including human rights activists, journalists and exiled soldiers, were the subject of arrest warrants. 

Without going into detail, President Maduro had already mentioned these plots during his annual address to the nation last week.

Nicolas Maduro regularly denounces plots against himself, frequently accusing the United States, the opposition or Colombian drug traffickers.

In addition to Nicolas Maduro, the Minister of Defense, General Vladimir Padrino, was among the alleged targets, according to the prosecutor. 

Investigation kept secret

The minister said the investigation was kept secret because it was concurrent with "negotiations" with the United States that resulted in the release of American detainees in Venezuela and the easing of sanctions imposed by Washington. 

Also read: A close friend of Maduro released as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and Caracas

General Padrino accused the "Venezuelan extreme right" - the government regularly refers to the opposition - of being at the origin of these plots and of benefiting from the "support" of the CIA and the American anti-drug agency, the DEA.

Referring to these "five conspiracies", prosecutor Saab notably detailed the one called "White Armband" aimed, according to him, at "launching an escalation of terrorist acts to attempt the life" of President Nicolas Maduro at the start of the year.

Seven people were detained and among those sought were Tamara Suju, a human rights lawyer exiled in the Czech Republic, and Sebastiana Barraes, a journalist specializing in military news.

As part of this case, the prosecution released a video in which one of the accused mentions the opponent Maria Corina Machado, who won the opposition primary for the presidential election at the end of the year.

His name was obscured by a "beep", but his name can clearly be read on the lips of the accused.

“New arrests will take place,” warned Tarek William Saab, without mentioning Maria Corina Machado.

With AFP

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