Blasts and Low-Flying Aircraft Reported in Venezuela's Capital Caracas City
Witness testimonies surfaced of multiple blasts and the roar of low-flying aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the small hours of the weekend. This situation has led to claims from Venezuela's government and calls for global action.
Caracas Condemns United States of Military Action
Venezuela's authoritarian regime has blamed the US of what it calls "foreign aggression," alleging that former President Trump allegedly authorized strikes against the South American nation. In an public declaration, the government stated that attacks had targeted Caracas and several other provinces: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua state.
"Our only objective of this attack is to seize control of our nation's key assets, especially its crude oil and mineral wealth," the statement asserted.
Venezuelan officials appealed to the international community to condemn the actions, which it described a "flagrant violation of global law" that put countless of lives in peril.
Accounts of Explosions and Military Sites Hit
Residents spoke of experiencing at least seven detonations around 2 a.m. in the morning. Citizens in different areas reportedly hurried into the streets outside.
"Everything shook. It was terrifying. We heard blasts and aircraft in the area," stated one witness.
Plumes of smoke was observed pouring from major defense sites in the city: the La Carlota airbase airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna base compound, where president Maduro is believed to reside.
Global Response
The president of neighboring Colombia, wrote on a social platform that "Currently they are attacking Caracas... attacking it with missiles." He requested an urgent emergency session of the United Nations Security Council.
The Colombian government, which recently became a member of the Security Council, announced it would initiate operational protocols at its frontier with Venezuela.
Background
These reported strikes are preceded by a extended pressure campaign by the Trump administration against the Maduro regime. Beginning in August, authorities reported a significant US military presence off the country's Caribbean coast and a series of airstrikes on vessels suspected of illegal activities.
The administration has announced "the implementation of external disturbance" and ordered all defense protocols to be activated. It has also called on its citizens to mobilize and "reject this imperialist act."
US authorities and the Defense Department have not immediately addressed requests for a statement regarding the allegations.
