Hours after US President Joe Biden welcomed exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said seven foreigners, including two Americans and three Ukrainians, were arrested for planning unspecified “terrorist acts” days before Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration for a third presidential term.
Maduro said in a meeting with Bolivarian militias that was broadcast on social media:
“Just today we captured 7 foreign mercenaries, including two important mercenaries from the United States… Two Colombian hitmen were captured in different parts of the country, and three mercenaries who came from Ukraine from the Ukrainian war to bring violence to the country… They came to carry out terrorist acts.”
The president also stressed that the detainees are “of the highest level, the likes of which have never been caught before in Venezuela” and expressed confidence that “they will confess soon.”
According to the politician, between November and December, 125 foreign mercenaries of 25 nationalities who came to Venezuela to commit terrorist acts were arrested. He also called on armed militia vigilantes to be as vigilant as possible and defend the homeland.
The announcement of the mercenaries’ detention came just hours after President Joe Biden welcomed exiled Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to the United States.
