Tensions heighten in the Caribbean
Venezuela has issued a warning of an alleged plan by extremists to attack the U.S. Embassy in Caracas with explosives amid rising tensions over Washington’s military presence in the Caribbean. Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and its U.S. dialogue delegation stated that the U.S. had been informed through “three different channels” about a “serious threat” from right-wing groups posing as supporters of President Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez accused extremist sectors of the Venezuelan right of preparing a false-flag operation to plant explosives at the embassy which has been closed since 2019 following the rupture of diplomatic relations with the Maduro government. Despite the closure, the embassy maintains a security staff and Venezuelan police patrol the surrounding area. Rodríguez added that a European embassy had been notified to serve as a liaison for communication regarding the situation.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately comment on the warning. The embassy’s security measures have been reinforced and the situation is being closely monitored.
Tensions between the two countries have escalated as Venezuela denounces U.S. military activity in the Caribbean. Washington claims its naval deployments are aimed at combating drug cartels while Maduro views them as threats to sovereignty. The U.S. has conducted four strikes on vessels in the Caribbean since last month, asserting that the ships traffic drugs and that their crews are “narcoterrorists,” with the latest strike killing four people last Friday.
Former President Donald Trump severed diplomatic ties with Maduro in 2019, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate ruler and evacuating U.S. diplomats from Caracas. Since then, Maduro has accused the U.S. of fabricating narratives to justify intervention while the U.S. has not indicated plans for a ground invasion. The deployment of over 4,000 troops in the region continues to heighten regional tensions.
