Venezuela’s rising anti-terrorism operation leads to major arms seizure and 21 arrests amid threats linked to opposition and foreign actors.

Related: 5 Critical Reasons ALBA-TCP Condemns the Rising US Threat Against Venezuela

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Venezuela Rising Anti-Terrorism Operation: Unveiling a Rising Threat and Strong Government Response

The Venezuela anti-terrorism operation has intensified with the recent discovery of a large arsenal in Maturín and the arrest of 21 individuals involved in coordinated explosive attacks and destabilizing plots. On August 7, 2025, Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, revealed the seizure of over 54,000 hollow charges and detonating cords in a warehouse—signaling a severe threat to public security.

Venezuela Anti-Terrorism Operation: Major Arms Seizure and Arrests Linked to Opposition

Minister Cabello announced the arrest of eight suspects in connection with the Maturín arsenal and confirmed that at least twelve more suspects remain at large as investigations continue. The minister pointed to ties between these plots and the country’s extreme right-wing opposition, implicating opposition leader María Corina Machado as the “leader” behind these conspiracies. Cabello accused her of orchestrating clandestine violent units in alliance with “extremist sectors” allegedly linked to the U.S. government.

Just days before, Cabello disclosed the foiling of a terror plan intended to detonate explosives at Plaza Venezuela in Caracas, leading to the detention of 13 people, including one Colombian suspect detained in Colombia. This operation also revealed the involvement of narcotrafficking groups, conspirators, and criminal gangs aiming to destabilize the nation.

Key details include:

• The use of cell phone-triggered explosives.
• Confessions from arrested individuals showing coordinated planning and financial backing.
• Identification of several suspects involved in facilitation and logistics for the attacks.

The investigation gathered direct evidence such as video recordings of suspects discussing attack plans and payments offering $20,000 to participants. Authorities also tracked movements indicating plans for suspects to flee the country via Trinidad and Tobago.

The minister stressed that Venezuelan security forces remain vigilant and active in dismantling these networks, and he urged the public to stay alert amid ongoing threats.

External Links:

• TeleSUR: Venezuela dismantles terrorist plot
• BBC News: Venezuela’s security challenges
• Reuters: Political unrest and security issues in Venezuela

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PART I: THE FOILED ATTACK IN PLAZA VENEZUELA – A Meticulously Planned Operation

Date of attempted attack: Sunday, June 23 (based on event timeline)
Location: Plaza Venezuela, Caracas
Primary target: Detonate an explosive device at the Monument to the Victory of the Great Patriotic War against Nazifascism, a historically symbolic site with high public foot traffic.

1.1. The Terrorist Plot: Precision and Technical Sophistication

The attack, as revealed by Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, was scheduled for 11:32 a.m. on Sunday, a time of peak pedestrian and vehicular activity. The explosive device consisted of three kilograms of TNT (trinitrotoluene), a high-power explosive, placed inside a multicolored backpack designed to blend in.

What caught authorities’ attention was the technical sophistication of the detonation method: the device was set to be triggered remotely via an analog mobile phone, a system that avoids digital networks and reduces the risk of immediate tracking. This type of mechanism is typical of paramilitary or terrorist operations, indicating advanced technical planning.

“The explosion would be triggered remotely, via an analog mobile phone,” Cabello stated, emphasizing that the device was designed to detonate without direct contact.

1.2. Key Actors: From the Executor to the Coordinators

The operation was orchestrated by a right-wing extremist cell with transnational ties and external financing. Among those detained, the main suspect is José Daniel García Ortega, hired for $20,000 to place the explosive.

• García Ortega was recruited six months earlier by a woman known as “La Nena”, who connected him with “El Flaco”, the operational mastermind behind the attack.
• Days before the attack, he received a call to collect the explosive at the El Valle metro station and a mobile payment to purchase necessary materials.
• On the day of the incident, he traveled with an accomplice to the Bellas Artes station, took a bus to Plaza Venezuela, left the backpack behind a column of the monument, and fled.
• After placement, he met with “La Negra” (García’s partner) and “El Flaco” in Los Valles del Tuy, Miranda state.

1.3. Detection and Disarming: Intelligence and Surveillance

Thanks to alerts from opposition figures who leaked information, authorities activated an intelligence operation that allowed them to:

• Track García Ortega’s movements in real time.
• Locate and remove the device before detonation.
• Arrest the suspect as he attempted to flee to Colombia, in the state of Táchira, on the border with that country.

During the operation, authorities seized the backpack containing the TNT, the analog phone, and other strategic materials.

1.4. The Averted Consequences: A Catastrophic Scenario

Cabello warned of the potentially devastating impact of the attack, given that Plaza Venezuela is a critical urban infrastructure hub:

• Gas line supplying an ornamental lamp (risk of secondary explosion).
• Underground metro station (risk of collapse and mass casualties).
• Nearby fuel station (risk of chain-reaction fires).
• High volume of vehicles and pedestrians.

An explosion at that location could have triggered a chain reaction, affecting infrastructure, transportation, and human lives. “Imagine if that had exploded,” Cabello said, stressing the risk of a tragedy of significant proportions.

1.5. Those Arrested: 13 Individuals Linked to the Plot

To date, 13 people have been arrested, including:

• José Daniel García Ortega – the attack’s executor.
• “El Titi” – a Colombian national, member of the La Guajira Cartel, a criminal organization based in Maicao.
• Yoscar Eduardo Salazar Méndez, Arturo Sairias Gómez, Leomar Andrey Guerra Sánchez, among others, all linked to clandestine right-wing units.

President Nicolás Maduro stated that investigations show “all roads lead to Colombian drug traffickers, the Albanian-Ecuadorian mafia, and remnants of criminal gangs in Venezuela.”

Additionally, opposition figures such as María Corina Machado and fugitive Iván Simonovis are under investigation, as are former Colombian presidents (Uribe, Duque, Pastrana, Santos), who are accused of protecting these criminal networks.

PART II: THE LOGISTICAL BASE IN THE EAST – A TERRORIST CELL Dismantled

Date of dismantling: Thursday, June 27 (according to official announcement)
Region: Eastern Venezuela (unspecified border areas)
Group’s objective: Plan attacks and sabotage against strategic infrastructure (energy, transportation, communications).

2.1. The Intelligence Operation: Tracing the Chain of Command

Venezuelan authorities, led by the Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace, announced the dismantling of a logistical base following an extensive intelligence operation. The operation allowed them to:

• Identify supply routes for explosives and weapons.
• Track the command structure of the terrorist cell.
• Locate and raid the operational center in eastern Venezuela.

2.2. Seized Materials: Evidence of Coordinated Attack Preparations

Among the items confiscated:

• Explosive devices (type unspecified, but capable of high impact).
• High-caliber ammunition.
• Long-range rifles (indicative of sniper operations or prolonged defense).
• Documents that, according to authorities, prove the intent to carry out coordinated attacks in several eastern cities.

The presence of rifles and explosives suggests the group planned not only isolated attacks but also prolonged operations or area takeovers.

2.3. Those Detained and International Links

While the full identities of the detainees have not yet been disclosed, authorities indicated that:

• The individuals are linked to financing and logistical support networks operating from border points with neighboring countries.
• Possible ties to transnational organizations are under investigation, including narcoparamilitary groups and arms trafficking networks.

The operation involved coordination between the National Bolivarian Police (PNB) and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), highlighting inter-institutional cooperation.

2.4. Impact and Prevention: No Civilian Casualties

Fortunately, there were no civilian casualties or damage to critical infrastructure, thanks to timely intervention. The dismantling of the logistical base significantly reduced the group’s operational capacity in the region.

The Interior Minister reiterated that these actions are part of a “constant fight against terrorism” and called on citizens to remain calm and provide information to help dismantle these networks.

PART III: CONNECTIONS AND PATTERNS – A BROADER STRATEGY?

Although the two operations occurred at different times and in separate geographic areas, they share alarming patterns:

Element	Plaza Venezuela	Eastern Venezuela
Objective	Symbolic attack in central area	Sabotage of strategic infrastructure
Attack Type	Remotely detonated explosive	Coordinated attacks with military logistics
Actors	Right-wing cells + drug traffickers	Transnational networks with logistical support
Technology	Analog detonation	Long-range weapons
Financing	$20,000 (García Ortega)	Border-based financing networks
External Support	Colombia, international networks	Neighboring countries, criminal organizations

3.1. Accusations Against Foreign Powers: U.S. and Colombia

Diosdado Cabello was emphatic: “These operations are always, always directed by the U.S. government,” accusing extremist sectors within the U.S. administration of backing these plots.

Additionally, former Colombian presidents were named for protecting these networks, reinforcing the theory that terrorism in Venezuela has a transnational component, fueled by external political and economic interests.

3.2. The Role of Drug Trafficking and Criminal Mafias

The case of “El Titi”, linked to the La Guajira Cartel, and references to Colombian drug traffickers and the Albanian mafia in Ecuador, indicate these groups do not operate in isolation, but as part of a global criminal ecosystem using Venezuela as a stage for political destabilization.

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Venezuela Anti-Terrorism Operation: Political Allegations and Government Stance

Diosdado Cabello described the opposition’s calls for the creation of clandestine armed units as an “alliance of criminals,” merging narco-traffickers, conspirators, and violent gangs. He especially condemned María Corina Machado’s recent statements advocating for underground groups to catalyze political change, branding these as destabilizing and terroristic.

Cabello highlighted the role of foreign interference, citing past Colombian presidents allegedly harboring and protecting criminals involved in the plots. He denounced these acts as part of “imperialist” strategies to weaken Venezuela internally and externally.

Despite the heightened repression and hundreds of political arrests (over 70 individuals detained for alleged conspiracies including drug trafficking and terrorism), the minister assured the Venezuelan people that government forces are relentlessly working to preserve peace and order.

The crackdown also includes major anti-narcotics operations, with recent seizures exceeding 50 tons of illegal drugs, emphasizing Venezuela’s commitment to fighting organized crime comprehensively.

External Links:

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
• Organization of American States – Security Sector

Geopolitical Context and Regional Implications

The ongoing Venezuela anti-terrorism operation takes place amid a regional atmosphere marked by political polarization, external pressure, and complex security challenges. The Venezuelan government frames these plots as orchestrated in part by foreign imperialist forces aiming to destabilize the nation by exploiting local dissent and criminal networks.

This context reflects larger geopolitical tensions between Venezuela and the United States, compounded by longstanding political rivalries and the influence of transnational organized crime. The government’s response—linking opposition politics to violent conspiracies and narcotrafficking—raises debates on human rights and democratic freedoms alongside questions of sovereignty and security.

The unfolding events contribute to strained relations in Latin America, influencing diplomatic stances, regional cooperation on security, and the international community’s engagement with Venezuelan affairs. The situation underscores the urgent need for peaceful dialogue mechanisms and security modernization balanced with respect for political plurality.

CONCLUSION: A VICTORY OF INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL UNITY

Venezuela has recently faced two high-level terrorist threats, both thwarted thanks to:

• Efficient intelligence work.
• Coordination among security forces (SEBIN, PNB, FANB).
• Citizen vigilance and opposition alerts (ironically, key to prevention).
• The state’s determination to defend peace.

As President Maduro summarized: “Who wants war and conflict among Venezuelans? The fascist far-right. Who wants peace and happiness? The united people.”

These events not only reveal the persistence of external and internal threats, but also Venezuela’s state capacity to neutralize them. However, the challenge continues: strengthening border security, dismantling criminal networks, and protecting public spaces and symbols will be crucial to ensuring national security in the coming months.

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