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A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 7 august 2017

Venezuela troops quash anti-Maduro attack on military base

By JUAN CARLOS HERNAN- night watch by surprise, Padrino Lopez charac-
DEZ Maduro said. The intrud- terized the attackers as
Associated Press ers managed to reach the a “paramilitary” expedi-
VALENCIA, Venezuela base’s weapons depot tion, saying the intruders
(AP) — Soldiers battled for before an alarm sounded, were civilians dressed in
three hours Sunday morn- alerting troops to the in- uniforms. He did not iden-
ing against a small band of cursion. He said 10 of the tify any of the participants,
anti-government fighters invaders then escaped, but said they included a
who snuck onto a Venezu- some carrying off arms, lieutenant who had aban-
elan army base, apparent- while those left behind ex- doned his post. He said the
ly intent on fomenting an changed gunfire with sol- man who recorded the
uprising, President Nicolas diers until about 8 a.m. be- video was a former officer
Maduro said. fore all were either killed or dismissed three years ago
Troops killed two of the in- captured. after being charged with
truders, wounded another “Today we had to de- rebellion and betraying
and captured seven, but feat terrorism with bullets,” the homeland.
10 others got away, the Maduro said. In 2014, Caguaripano re-
embattled leader an- Residents who live near- leased a 12-minute video
nounced in his weekly by and saw the dissident denouncing Maduro dur-
broadcast on state televi- group’s video online gath- ing a previous wave of
sion. Residents shout slogans against Venezuela’s President Nicolas ered around the military anti-government unrest.
“We know where they Maduro outside of Military base Paramacay in Valencia, Ven- base chanting “Free- He later reportedly sought
are headed and all of our ezuela, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. Venezuelan ruling party chief Di- dom!” Other protests also exile after a military tribu-
military and police force is osdado Cabello said the military squashed a “terrorist” attack emerged spontaneously nal ordered his arrest, ap-
deployed,” Maduro said. at the military base Sunday, shortly after a small group of men around Valencia into the pearing in an interview on
He said he would ask for dressed in military fatigues released a video declaring them- afternoon. CNN en Espanol to draw
“the maximum penalty for selves in rebellion. Troops dispersed the pro- attention to what he said
those who participated in (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Hernandez) testers with tear gas and was discontent within mili-
this terrorist attack.” a man was fatally shot at tary ranks.
The incident happened in military fatigues, some ment and called on military a demonstration less than He returned to Venezuela
during the early morning carrying rifles, began cir- units to declare themselves a mile from the base, said to lead Sunday’s uprising,
hours at the Paramacay culating widely on social in open rebellion. Haydee Franco, coordi- said Giomar Flores, a mu-
base in the central city of media around that time. In “This is not a coup d’etat,” nating secretary of the tinous naval officer now in
Valencia. Residents who the recording, a man who the man said. “This is a civic opposition Progressive Ad- Bogota, Colombia, who
live nearby said they heard identified himself as Capt. and military action to re- vance party. More than said he is a spokesman for
repeated bursts of gunfire Juan Caguaripano said establish the constitutional 120 people have been re- the group.
starting around 4:30 a.m. the men were members order.” ported killed in unrest that Padrino Lopez alleged the
A video showing more of the military who oppose Twenty men entered the began in early April. attackers were recruited
than a dozen men dressed Maduro’s socialist govern- base, catching soldiers on Defense Minister Vladimir by “right-wing extrem-
ists” working with unspeci-
Brazil: fied foreign governments.

3,500 soldiers enter Rio slums amid violence spike Maduro said the attack
was “paid for by Miami
and Colombia” — cit-
ies with large numbers of
SAO PAULO (AP) — More Complexo do Lins com- Last week 8,500 soldiers tanks as they patrolled the Venezuelans who oppose
than 3,500 Brazilian sol- munities and neighboring were deployed in Rio to communities. his government. Neither
diers are occupying a se- Camarista Meier in the fight organized crime Mounting violence in provided specific details
ries of slum communities in early hours of Saturday. gangs, which control Rio has led authorities to on how they had come to
northern Rio de Janeiro as Defense Minister Raul many of the city’s slums. acknowledge in recent that conclusion.
part of efforts to combat a Jungmann told Globo TV Brazilian television showed weeks that much of the “Today’s terrorist attack is
spike in violence. that the troops would stay soldiers armed with au- city is out of their control.q no more than a propagan-
The troops moved into the there as long as necessary. tomatic rifles sitting atop da show,” Padrino Lopez
said. q