Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced on Tuesday the arrest of three air force generals who he said had been plotting a coup against his government. Maduro described them to South American ambassadors who had convened for a summit of UNASUR, a regional economic bloc, as “three generals who were trying to get the Air Force to rise up against the legitimately constituted government.” He added that the group had “strong ties to the opposition” and had called this week “the decisive week” to carry out their plan.
EFE reports that the Venezuelan president said that the generals were discovered as a “product of the conscience of [other] officials” who denounced them. He also downplayed the seriousness of opposition protests which have left 35 dead since Feb. 12, saying that “in Venezuela, there’s no situation like the one that’s being sold to the world.” The ambassadors had arrived in Venezuela as part of a mission to “accompany, support and evaluate” the actions of Maduro’s government in light of the recent protests.
The news comes as the Maduro administration and the United Socialist Party majority in the Venezuelan National Assembly continue an aggressive series of moves to punish opposition lawmakers who have played a role in the protests. On Monday, National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello said María Corina Machado, an outspoken opposition lawmaker, had “lost her seat” as well as her immunity from prosecution for “inciting violence”. Those arrested include former Chacao mayor Leopoldo López and San Cristóbal mayor Daniel Ceballos.
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