New Assassination Attempt on Venezuelan President is Thwarted

On Monday, Venezuelan authorities detained three individuals in Caracas as they attempted to sabotage popular mobilizations in support of President Nicolas Maduro's candidacy registration for the presidential elections on July 28.

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"We have just apprehended three individuals who were planning to create conditions for violence on this day," said Caracas Governor Nahum Fernandez, who is also the vice president of Mobilization and Events for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

"These are far-right people who lack popular support and know they will lose the elections," he stressed, adding that one of the three detainees had a device prepared to throw at the Venezuelan president.

A few minutes later, during the massive event for the registration of his presidential candidacy, Maduro revealed more details about the arrests.

"Today, two men with weapons who intended to carry out an attack on me were captured. They have confessed. They are part of the fascist party Vente Venezuela," he said.

Subsequently, Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported that Jerry Ostos and Carlos Castillo were detained while carrying firearms just 20 meters away from the platform from which the Venezuelan president was speaking with his supporters.

Saab also mentioned that the detainees will be charged in court for the crimes of terrorism, illicit association, attempted murder, incitement to hatred, and illegal possession of weapons.

Over the last year, Venezuelan authorities have thwarted no less than seven conspiracies aimed at targeting Maduro and senior officials, thus seeking to create an environment of political violence ahead of the presidential elections.