Venezuela denounces alleged ‘extremist’ plan to attack shuttered US Embassy complex

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela warned Monday of an alleged plan by extremists to attack the shuttered U.S. Embassy complex in Caracas with explosives, coming as bilateral tensions simmer over Washington’s military deployment in the Caribbean.

Jorge Rodríguez, head of the National Assembly and of Venezuela’s delegation for dialogue with the U.S., said in a statement that through “three different channels,” the United States had been warned “of a serious threat” from right-wing groups posing as followers of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“Through a false-flag operation prepared by extremist sectors of the local right, there are attempts to plant lethal explosives at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas,” Rodríguez said.

The Associated Press requested comment from the U.S. State Department and was awaiting a reply.

The embassy, which is currently closed, maintains a staff responsible for security and maintenance of the premises, despite the rupture of diplomatic relations with Maduro’s government in 2019.

“At the same time, we have reinforced security measures at that diplomatic site, which our government respects and protects,” said Rodríguez, a close ally of Maduro who serves as president of the National Assembly. He said that a European embassy had been informed in order to act as a liaison to communicate the situation.

The large embassy compound has been guarded since its closure by patrols conducted by Venezuelan police in the surrounding area.

During his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump broke ties with Maduro and recognized an opposition leader as Venezuela’s legitimate ruler in a failed attempt to oust the leftist leader. As part of the diplomatic break, the U.S. State Department suspended operations at its Caracas embassy in March 2019 and evacuated all diplomats, fearing a takeover of the hilltop complex in the southeast of the capital.

The alert came as Venezuela has repeatedly denounced what it calls a U.S. threat over the deployment of warships in the Caribbean, which Washington says is aimed at combating Latin American drug cartels.

Trump accuses Maduro of being one of the world’s major drug traffickers and announced in early August that the reward for his capture would be doubled to $50 million. Maduro, in turn, accuses the United States of fabricating that narrative to try to force him from office.

On Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced what would be the fourth strike on a small vessel in the Caribbean since the arrival of U.S. ships. The United States claims the vessels “traffic drugs” and that their crews are “narcoterrorists,” as was the case with the four people killed Friday, according to Hegseth.

Maduro has described the U.S. naval deployment as a threat to the sovereignty of the South American country. The U.S. government has given no indication that it plans a ground incursion with the more than 4,000 troops stationed in the area.