Venezuelan President Accuses US of Pulling the Assassination Plot

"The American empire wants to kill me. We have just exposed a plot to assassinate me, directed directly by the puppet of the evil one,"RTquoted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaking to supporters on March 23, referring to opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president of Venezuela. Maduro has repeatedly called Guaido a "puppet" of the United States.

President Maduro also asserted that the government had “evidence” of illegal actions by the opposition. He also accused neighboring Colombia of involvement in the plot, saying a Colombian paramilitary leader had been arrested in Venezuela and was “giving testimony.”

The Maduro government later released details of the plot on national television. Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said “assassins” from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras were hired for “large sums of money” and sent to Colombia and then into Venezuela to carry out “targeted assassinations” and “sabotage” missions.

Rodriguez accused Roberto Marrero, the chief of staff of opposition leader Guaido, of receiving money from the United States and of being the main organizer of assassination plots. Lawyer Marrero, 49, was arrested on March 21 at his home in the capital Caracas. The United States, the European Union (EU) and Latin American countries supporting "self-proclaimed president" Guaido have voiced their opposition, demanding that the Venezuelan government immediately release him.

According to Minister Rodriguez, information collected from Marrero's phone showed that the opposition had planned to assemble 8 to 10 groups of assassins, each consisting of at least 8 people, to carry out assassinations, sabotage and terrorism against government organizations in Venezuela.

At least 60 people received special paramilitary training in Colombia, half of whom have infiltrated Venezuela. Venezuelan authorities also accuse opposition leader Guaido of “stealing” money from frozen government accounts abroad to fund a terrorist campaign.

The economic and political crisis in Venezuela has become more intense since Guaido declared himself interim president on January 23. The United States and about 50 countries support Guaido, increasing pressure on Maduro to step down. However, President Maduro has received support from the military and many countries such as Russia, China, Cuba, and Türkiye.