Venezuela’s President, Maduro Accuses US Of Plot To Assassinate Him

Venezuela’s President, Maduro Accuses US Of Plot To Assassinate Him

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday accused the White House of plotting to assassinate him with the help of right-wing governments of Colombia and Brazil.

Maduro lashed out at US National Security Advisor John Bolton for ‘personally directing a plan to sow chaos on Venezuelan soil’, with the aim of overthrowing his socialist government.

The Venezuelan leader told foreign correspondents in Caracas that his government had “good information” that Bolton had been “assigning missions for military provocations on the border.”

“I come again to denounce the plot which is being prepared from the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela,” he said, adding that troops were being trained in the United States and Colombia to carry out the plot.

US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque have been sharply critical of Maduro’s leftist regime, and Trump in October hinted at a potential military response to resolve Venezuela’s crippling economic crisis.

“Mr John Bolton has been assigned as chief of the plan, of the plot, to fill Venezuela with violence and seek a foreign military intervention, a coup d’etat, and impose what they call a transitional government council,” said Maduro, who said he had corroborating foreign sources for his claims.

Maduro raised Washington’s ire this week by announcing military exercises on Venezuelan soil with the participation of Russia, which sent two nuclear-capable long-range bombers to Caracas.

The move drew condemnation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said the deployment was a case of “two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer”.

Russia sent the planes following a visit to Moscow last week by Maduro for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for the beleaguered socialist government.

Maduro, 55, begins a second six-year term on January 10, having won disputed elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition.