Venezuela's influential armed forces expressed "unconditional" loyalty to President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday in the aftermath of a suspected "assassination" attempt using explosive-laden drones.
Maduro survived the incident during a military rally on Saturday in which his far-left government said seven soldiers were injured following a number of explosions.
Venezuela's Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez read out a statement from the Armed Forces expressing "unconditional and unrestricted loyalty to our commander in chief."
Padrino Lopez, an army general, described Saturday's incident as "an opprobrious attempt at assassination" and "an aggression against the military" in an attempt to provoke regime change "through unconstitutional means."
He added that the armed forces "absolutely repudiate this barbarism in a desperate attempt to destabilize" the government.
Seen as authoritarian and repressive by his detractors, Maduro has relied heavily on the military to hold on power in the face of a crippling economic crisis and political turmoil.
After he was whisked away from the military parade in Caracas to the safety of the presidential palace, Maduro vowed in a national address to enforce "maximum punishment" on those he accused of trying "to assassinate me."
"There will be no forgiveness," he warned, blaming the country's opposition and outgoing Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos.
"They have failed again and in Venezuela there must be justice because they tried to kill me," said Maduro.
In June, Venezuela jailed eight people accused of being behind a "coup" plot, denounced by Maduro in February 2015.
Maduro claimed the plotters had been planning to bomb the Miraflores presidential palace and other government buildings.
The US State Department dismissed the accusations while rights group Venezuela Justice said a subsequent purge of the country's armed forces resulted in 150 people being jailed "for political reasons."
Just over a year ago, Maduro claimed a police helicopter had fired grenades at the Supreme Court in a "terror attack" that caused no injuries or damage and was dismissed by the opposition.
Venezuela’s influential armed forces expressed “unconditional” loyalty to President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday in the aftermath of a suspected “assassination” attempt using explosive-laden drones.
Maduro survived the incident during a military rally on Saturday in which his far-left government said seven soldiers were injured following a number of explosions.
Venezuela’s Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez read out a statement from the Armed Forces expressing “unconditional and unrestricted loyalty to our commander in chief.”
Padrino Lopez, an army general, described Saturday’s incident as “an opprobrious attempt at assassination” and “an aggression against the military” in an attempt to provoke regime change “through unconstitutional means.”
He added that the armed forces “absolutely repudiate this barbarism in a desperate attempt to destabilize” the government.
Seen as authoritarian and repressive by his detractors, Maduro has relied heavily on the military to hold on power in the face of a crippling economic crisis and political turmoil.
After he was whisked away from the military parade in Caracas to the safety of the presidential palace, Maduro vowed in a national address to enforce “maximum punishment” on those he accused of trying “to assassinate me.”
“There will be no forgiveness,” he warned, blaming the country’s opposition and outgoing Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos.
“They have failed again and in Venezuela there must be justice because they tried to kill me,” said Maduro.
In June, Venezuela jailed eight people accused of being behind a “coup” plot, denounced by Maduro in February 2015.
Maduro claimed the plotters had been planning to bomb the Miraflores presidential palace and other government buildings.
The US State Department dismissed the accusations while rights group Venezuela Justice said a subsequent purge of the country’s armed forces resulted in 150 people being jailed “for political reasons.”
Just over a year ago, Maduro claimed a police helicopter had fired grenades at the Supreme Court in a “terror attack” that caused no injuries or damage and was dismissed by the opposition.
