Venezuela security forces fire tear gas at protesters after 'uprising by military unit' in Caracas
Venezuelan security forces have arrested a group of military officers following an uprising by a national guard unit a few miles from the presidential palace.
The government issued a statement saying the guardsmen stole weapons and kidnapped four officials before being captured in the neighbourhood of Cotiza in the capital Caracas.
It described the attack at 2.50am local time as being “motivated by dark interests of the extreme right” and claimed that government institutions were operating “under complete and absolute normality”.
The incident began when a group of men dressed in military fatigues and carrying assault weapons published a video on social media to declare they did not recognize President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
In the footage, a man identifying himself as Sergeant Armando Figueroa urged Venezuelans to take to the streets in support.
“You asked to take to the streets to defend the constitution, well here we are,” he said in a video shot at night in which several heavily armed men and a national guard truck can be seen in the background.
“You wanted us to light the fuse, so we did. We need your support,” he added.
In another video a man who identified himself as Luis Bandres said: “You all asked that we take to the streets to defend the constitution. Here we are. Here we have the troops, it’s today when the people come out to support us.”
According to the Venezuelan armed forces, the national guard unit first took a police captain hostage in western Caracas before driving to another outpost in Petare in two military trucks.
They were captured a few hours hours later at a national guard outpost in Cotiza, two miles from the Miraflores presidential palace.
Following the arrests protesters gathered outside to throw rocks at police officers, set fire to trash and bang pots and pans.
In videos circulating on social media, residents can be heard chanting “don’t hand yourself in” and “the people are with you.” Security forces fired tear gas at the protesters in response.
Public discontent has been rising amid widespread food shortages and hyperinflation but the Venezuelan president has retained the loyalty of the armed forces.
Mr Maduro was controversially re-elected last year after banning leading opponents from running against him and the US, which issued sanctions against the president in July 2017, has accused him of being “a dictator with no legitimate claim to power.”
Last week Donald Trump was said to be considering recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s president.
Mr Maduro has claimed Donald Trump is leading an economic war against Venezuela and defended his re-election by saying: “We’re a real democracy and I, Nicolas Maduro Moros, I am a truly democratic president.”
Additional reporting by Associated Press and Reuters
