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VENEZUELA-POLITICS-MADURO
Venezuela’s Maduro says he would accept FBI help over alleged murder plot
CARACAS, Aug 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – President Nicolas Maduro has said that he
would let US FBI agents come to Venezuela to help investigate the alleged
recent plot to kill him with explosive drones — but with conditions.
If US officials confirm “the offer for the FBI to investigate links in
Florida with the assassination plan … I would agree for the FBI to come
here,” Maduro said at a late Saturday event with top military leaders.
According to Maduro, there are “terrorist cells” in the US state of Florida
– home to a large community of Venezuelan immigrants – led by a man called
Osman Delgado Tabosky, whom he claims was the mastermind of the alleged plot.
Maduro’s words follow a Wednesday statement by Foreign Minister Jorge
Arreaza who said that the US charge d’affairs in Caracas, James Story,
“expressed his concern” over the alleged August 4 murder plot, as well as
“the willingness of his government to cooperate”.
Two drones packed with explosives flew toward Maduro as he was attending a
military parade in Caracas, officials have said. When a detonation occurred,
soldiers were seen running away in panic.
Authorities say they have detained 10 suspects whom they accuse of
involvement with support from neighboring Colombia and people living in the
United States.
The Venezuelan leader has repeatedly accused Washington of conspiring to
oust him, and Caracas and Washington have not exchanged ambassadors since
2010.
On Saturday Maduro again blamed former Colombian president Juan Manuel
Santos of involvement in the alleged murder plot.
One suspect detained by Venezuelan agents is opposition lawmaker Juan
Requesens. Maduro’s government said Requesens has admitted to having
communicated with a second arrested suspect who allegedly confessed to
participating in the attack.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1352 hrs