[News] Coup Plot in Venezuela Thwarted

[Anti-Imperialist News]

*Coup Plot in Venezuela Thwarted *

Feb 13th 2015, by TeleSUR English

The coup involved plans to assassinate Venezuelan President, Nicolas 
Maduro (TeleSUR)

Coup plotters planned on assassinating the Venezuelan president and 
installing a de facto government.

A coup plot against the Venezuelan government has been foiled, with both 
civilians and members of the military detained, President Nicolas Maduro 
revealed Thursday in a televised address.

Those involved were being paid in U.S. dollars, and one of the suspects 
had been granted a visa to enter the United States should the plot fail, 
Maduro said.

Venezuela’s president stated that the coup plotters already had a 
“transitional” government and program lined up once the plan, which 
included bombings on the Miraflores Palace and the teleSUR offices in 
Caracas, as well as assassinations of members of the opposition, Maduro 
and others, was carried out.

Maduro explained that a video of masked military officials speaking out 
against the government had been recorded, which was set to be released 
after the planned assassination was carried out.

Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez stated via his 
Twitter account that the armed forces remain loyal to the constitutional 
government.

“The Bolivarian National Armed Forces remain resolute in their 
democratic beliefs and reject coup schemes that threaten the peace of 
the republic,” said Padrino.

According to Maduro, one of the suspects was already under surveillance 
and had been suspected of plotting against the government during last 
year's violent demonstrations, but was not charged. Nevertheless, he 
continued plotting against the democratically-elected government.

The four-stage plan involved creating an economic assault 
<http://econwaronvenezuela.telesurtv.net/> on the country, creating an 
international debate around a supposed humanitarian crisis, a political 
coup involving officials who would turn on the government, and finally a 
military coup that would lead to the installation of the transitional 
program.

Maduro stated that the plot, which was scheduled to coincide 
with anti-government demonstrations planned for the one-year anniversary 
of the start of violent, opposition-led demonstrations 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/analysis/Venezuelan-Guarimbas-11-Things-the-Media-Didnt-Tell-You-20150211-0025.html> which 
began last Feb. 12, was uncovered after military officials who had been 
approached to participate reported the schemes to authorities.

  Maduro called on the Venezuelan people to be on alert and prepared to 
maintain peace in the country in the face of continued attempts by 
sectors of the right wing who seek to overthrow the 
democratically-elected government.

Below is a timeline of how the coup plotters hoped their plan would play 
out provided by TeleSUR Engish, Anatomy of a Coup 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/analysis/Timeline-The-Anatomy-of-a-Venezuelan-Coup-20150213-0006.html>. 


January 6-8: Coup plotters planned to conduct nationwide operations 
aimed at creating unrest in the streets. Queues outside commercial 
stores such as supermarkets were set to be among the primary targets, 
where operatives hoped to set off violence. Elsewhere, various groups 
planned to engage in other activities aimed at fomenting destabilization 
in the streets.

January 9-February: Over the weeks, plotters hoped the country would 
descend into a state of turmoil, paving the way for the violent 
overthrow of the Maduro administration.

February 3: Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas tried to bribe 
people in strategic positions 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Embassy-Bribing-Venezuela-Officials-to-Topple-Government--20150203-0042.html> to 
participate in a coup, said President Nicolas Maduro at the time.

February 12: The coup was scheduled to begin this day. Chavista and 
opposition rallies commemorating Youth Day 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Young-Venezuelans-Reclaim-the-Streets-from-Violent-Protesters-20150212-0012.html> were 
slated as the first targets. Coup plotters planned on attacking the 
marches to provoke panic in the streets. Then, strategic sites across 
the capital were to be bombed in a series of coordinated attacks 
<http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Venezuelan-Legislator-Gives-Details-on-Thwarted-Coup--20150213-0001.html>, 
carried out using a Tucano attack aircraft. The Tucano is a small, 
highly maneuverable military aircraft manufactured in Brazil, though the 
U.S. military has purchased a handful for counterinsurgency operations. 
The sites targeted for bombing included public transport, government 
offices, mass media and open areas, such as the grandiose Plaza 
Venezuela. The full list of targets included:

- teleSUR headquarters (east Caracas)

- Headquartes of the Military Intelligence (DIM)

- Plaza Venezuela

- Metro station Zona Rental (center of Caracas)

- Ministry of Defense (center of Caracas)

- Caracas municipality building (west)

- Miraflores palace (national government and presidential headquarters)

- Public Prosecutor’s office (center of Caracas)

  Members of both the opposition and the government – including Maduro – 
were expected to be assassinated during the ensuing chaos.

Amid the turmoil, media outlets would be forced to broadcast a statement 
announcing the collapse of the government.

February 13: The coup government was expected to be firmly in control of 
the country and free to begin rolling back Venezuela's socialist revolution.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Source URL (retrieved on /13/02/2015 - 11:42am/):* 
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11208
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