Detonations and Low-Altitude Planes Reported in Venezuelan Capital City Caracas City
Reports emerged of several detonations and the roar of low-flying aircraft in the Venezuelan capital in the early hours of Saturday. The situation has prompted allegations from the Venezuelan government and requests for international action.
Caracas Condemns US of Attack
The incumbent regime has condemned the Washington of an act of "foreign aggression," alleging that former President Donald Trump supposedly authorized military strikes against the South American nation. In an official statement, the authorities asserted that strikes had hit the capital and several other states: Miranda, La Guaira state, and Aragua.
"Our primary goal of this attack is to gain control of our nation's key assets, especially its oil and minerals," Venezuela declared.
The government appealed to the international community to condemn the actions, which it labeled a "blatant breach of international norms" that placed countless of civilians in jeopardy.
Accounts of Explosions and Defense Sites Hit
Eyewitnesses reported experiencing at least multiple detonations around the middle of the night in the morning. People in several areas reportedly hurried into the open.
"Everything shook. This is frightening. We experienced blasts and aircraft in the area," commented one local.
Smoke was seen billowing from key army bases in the city: the La Carlota airbase airfield and the Fuerte Tiuna compound, where leader Nicolás Maduro is reported to live.
International Response
The president of neighboring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated on social media that "At this moment they are bombing Venezuela... attacking it with projectiles." He called for an immediate emergency meeting of the Security Council.
Colombia, which recently became a member of the UNSC, stated it would initiate defense measures at its frontier with Venezuela.
Background
These reported strikes are preceded by a months-long pressure campaign by the United States against the Maduro government. Since August, authorities reported a substantial American military buildup off Venezuela's northern coast and a number of strikes on vessels accused of illegal activities.
Venezuela's administration has announced "the implementation of external threat" and directed all national defence protocols to be activated. It has also summoned its supporters to protest and "repudiate this external aggression."
US authorities and the Pentagon have not immediately commented on requests for a statement regarding the reports.
