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Venezuela crisis: Helicopter 'attacks' Supreme Court Venezuela crisis: Helicopter 'launches attack' on Supreme Court
(35 minutes later)
A helicopter has apparently tried to bomb Venezuela's Supreme Court in what President Nicolas Maduro called a "terrorist attack". Venezuela's Supreme Court has been attacked by gunfire and grenades from a helicopter in what President Nicolas Maduro called a "terrorist attack".
The government says a police officer flew the helicopter over the capital, Caracas, and dropped grenades. Footage on social media shows a police helicopter circling over the city before shots and a loud bang are heard.
Footage on social media shows a helicopter circling over the city before a loud bang is heard. The police officer said to have piloted the aircraft issued a statement denouncing the "criminal government".
The officer believed to have seized the aircraft has issued a video statement condemning the government. President Maduro has faced months of mass protests amid a political and economic crisis.
There are no reports of anyone being killed or injured. The Supreme Court is regularly criticised by the Venezuelan opposition for its rulings which bolster Mr Maduro's hold on power.
Venezuela is in the grip of an economic and political crisis and there have been almost daily protests against Mr Maduro's leftist government. What happened?
More than 70 people have been killed in protest-related violence since 1 April, according to the chief prosecutor's office. In an address from the presidential palace, President Maduro said the helicopter had dropped grenades on the Supreme Court and also flown over the justice and interior ministries.
President Maduro said grenades had been dropped in the attack and he promised that security forces would capture those behind it. He said "a social activity" had been taking place at the Supreme Court and the attack could have caused "dozens of deaths". One of the grenades failed to detonate, he added.
"I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said in an address from the Miraflores presidential palace. Mr Maduro said the pilot had worked for former Interior and Justice minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres, but was no longer with him.
"Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack." He said the country's military had been placed on alert.
The police officer, who called himself Oscar Perez, appeared on Instagram, flanked by armed and masked men in uniform. "I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace," he said. "Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack."
He appealed to Venezuelans to oppose "tyranny". Who flew the helicopter?
The police officer identified himself as Oscar Perez in video statements posted on the social media platform Instagram.
Appearing in military fatigues and flanked by armed, masked men in uniform, he appealed to Venezuelans to oppose "tyranny".
"We are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government," he said."We are a coalition of military employees, policemen and civilians who are looking for balance and are against this criminal government," he said.
"We don't belong to any political tendency or party. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists.""We don't belong to any political tendency or party. We are nationalists, patriots and institutionalists."
He said the "fight" was not against the security forces but "against the impunity of this government. It is against tyranny".He said the "fight" was not against the security forces but "against the impunity of this government. It is against tyranny".
It is not clear how much support, if any, the officer has.
Why now?
There have been almost daily anti-government protests in Venezuela for over two months as the country's economic and political crisis worsens.
Those opposed to the government say they are determined to keep protests going until fresh elections are called and the government is ousted.
More than 70 people have been killed in protest-related violence since 1 April, according to the chief prosecutor's office.
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Maduro reiterated his allegations that the US was supporting coup attempts against his government and warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would resist such a move.Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Maduro reiterated his allegations that the US was supporting coup attempts against his government and warned President Donald Trump that Venezuela would resist such a move.
On Monday, he announced that five people had been arrested, accused of plotting against him and preparing for a US invasion.On Monday, he announced that five people had been arrested, accused of plotting against him and preparing for a US invasion.