This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/06/venezuela-government-terrorist-attack-military-base

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Venezuela government claims control after 'terrorist' attack on military base Venezuela government claims control after 'terrorist' attack on military base
(35 minutes later)
The head of Venezuela’s ruling party, Diosdado Cabello, said on Sunday there had been a “terrorist” attack at a military base controlled by troops loyal to the government and several people had been arrested.The head of Venezuela’s ruling party, Diosdado Cabello, said on Sunday there had been a “terrorist” attack at a military base controlled by troops loyal to the government and several people had been arrested.
Cabello reported via Twitter that troops acted quickly to control the situation at the Paramacay base in the city of Valencia. Witnesses said they heard gunshots through the night. Cabello reported via Twitter that troops acted quickly to control the situation at the Paramacay base near the city of Valencia. One witness in the area, in the town of Naguanagua, reported hearing gunshots before dawn.
The announcement came after a small group of men dressed in military fatigues, some armed with assault rifles, released a video declaring themselves in rebellion against President Nicolás Maduro in Carabobo state, where Valencia is located. The defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cabello’s announcement came after a small group of men dressed in military fatigues, some armed with assault rifles, released a video declaring themselves in rebellion against President Nicolás Maduro in Carabobo state, where Valencia is located.
In the video, a man identifying himself as Capt Juan Caguaripano said that any unit refusing to go along with its call for rebellion would be declared a military target.In the video, a man identifying himself as Capt Juan Caguaripano said that any unit refusing to go along with its call for rebellion would be declared a military target.
Venezuela is wracked by tension and violence, as the unpopular Maduro government seeks to hold on to power. On Saturday chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega was removed and replaced by a more compliant official after her office was surrounded by soldiers. “We demand the immediate formation of a transition government,” he said. “This is not a coup d’etat. This is a civic and military action to re-establish constitutional order. But more than that, it is to save the country from total destruction.”
Two prominent opposition leaders were taken from their homes by intelligence agents last week. Venezuela is wracked by tension and violence, as the unpopular Maduro government seeks to hold on to power. More than 100 people have been killed, nearly 2,000 wounded and more than 500 detained.
On Saturday chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega was removed and replaced after her office was surrounded by soldiers.
Delegates to the constitutional assembly later swore in as her replacement ombudsman Tarek William Saab, who was recently sanctioned by the Trump administration for failing to protect protesters from abuses in his role as the nation’s top human rights official.
The assembly was seated despite strong criticism from the US, other countries and the Venezuelan opposition, which fear that it will be a tool for imposing dictatorship.
Two prominent opposition leaders were taken from their homes by intelligence agents last week. On Saturday one, Leopoldo Lopez, was returned home to serve his sentence under house arrest.
Lopez was released from prison on 8 July and placed under house arrest after serving three years of a 13-year sentence on charges of inciting violence at opposition rallies. Many human rights groups considered him a political prisoner.