Venezuela arrests opposition figure Guanipa over terror plot
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Venezuelan authorities arrest Juan Pablo Guanipa, accusing him of leading a terrorist network planning to disrupt the May 25 elections.
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Tomas Guanipa, left, Democratic Unity Table (MUD) mayoral candidate for the Libertador municipality, puts on a face mask as he arrives to greet supporters on the first day of the 2021 campaign, in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 (AP)
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced on Friday the arrest of opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa, accusing him of leading a terrorist network intent on disrupting the country’s upcoming presidential election, scheduled for May 25.
Cabello stated that documents seized from Guanipa reveal “detailed agendas and plans targeting leftist political parties.” He described the arrest as a major breakthrough in dismantling what he called a “complete terrorist network” operating inside Venezuela.
Authorities reportedly confiscated electric detonators, C4 explosives, mobile phones, computers, and various components used for assembling explosive devices
Foreign operatives, mafia links revealed
Cabello further disclosed that the country’s security services had apprehended several Pakistani nationals carrying forged identity documents, alongside Albanian and Bulgarian nationals involved in separate operations. He also confirmed the arrest of a Serbian drug trafficker affiliated with an international mafia network, who had attempted to enter Venezuela from Colombia to coordinate attacks.
“The financing for this terrorist conspiracy comes from Colombian drug money,” Cabello said, adding that the sums involved are “massive, approaching one billion dollars.”
Maduro blames Colombia, Miami-based actors
Earlier in the day, during a final campaign rally ahead of Sunday’s election, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro declared that security forces had thwarted yet another terrorist cell. He accused former Colombian presidents Álvaro Uribe and Iván Duque of conspiring with Miami-based actors to destabilize Venezuela’s electoral process.
“We are in the process of dismantling a terrorist assault orchestrated with the complicity of Colombia’s far-right leadership and their backers in the United States,” Maduro said.
The developments come amid heightened political tensions and fears of foreign intervention ahead of the highly anticipated May 25 vote.
Caracas ramps up border security to ensure peaceful May 25 vote
In response to the destabilization attempts, the Venezuelan government suspended all flights from Colombia and intensified military security across border regions, aiming to halt the movement of armed groups into the country.
Security forces continue to dismantle criminal cells through coordinated intelligence and counterterrorism operations, reinforcing the civic-military alliance that has become a hallmark of the Bolivarian Revolution’s national defense strategy.
President Maduro asserted that the Venezuelan people will vote freely and peacefully, rejecting violence and choosing their local leaders in defiance of external threats.
Bolivarian Revolution denounces imperialist aggression
As the May 25 elections approach, the Maduro government reiterated its condemnation of foreign meddling and imperialist designs on Venezuelan sovereignty.
“The people, the military, and the government stand united against any form of foreign intervention,” said Maduro, calling on international actors to respect Venezuela’s right to self-determination.
Despite repeated attempts to derail the Bolivarian project, Caracas insists the Revolution remains firm, and so do the millions of Venezuelans preparing to cast their vote.
