Venezuelan official Jorge Rodríguez warned Washington of a ‘false‑flag’ plot to plant explosives at its Caracas embassy, saying the scheme was orchestrated by a local far‑right group and that authorities had tightened security.
Venezuelan Official Warns U.S. of False‑Flag Plot
National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez said he had alerted the U.S. government through three independent channels about a serious threat. He alleged a false‑flag operation, allegedly organized by an extremist local right‑wing group, aimed at planting lethal explosive charges in the U.S. embassy in Caracas. Rodríguez also warned the European embassy so it could inform U.S. diplomatic staff. He stressed that the Venezuelan government respects and protects the embassy and has increased security there.
The U.S. embassy in Caracas has not provided assistance to American citizens since 2019; those duties are now handled by a special unit at the U.S. embassy in Colombia. In 2018 the United States sanctioned Rodríguez for actions that strengthened President Nicolás Maduro’s power.
U.S. Forces Destroy Smuggler Boat off Venezuela
American forces destroyed a drug‑smuggling vessel off the Venezuelan coast last week. Four passengers were killed, but no Americans suffered casualties. The attack, carried out on international waters, targeted a boat that was reportedly transporting large quantities of narcotics destined for the United States.
The incident follows other recent U.S. strikes in the region and comes amid tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Sharp Pressure on Maduro’s Regime
The Polish Institute of International Affairs reported that increased pressure from the Trump administration on the Venezuelan authoritarian regime signals a drive to restore democratic order. The deployment of a fleet of navy ships with thousands of crew toward Venezuela, presented as an anti‑drug‑smuggling effort, appears aimed at projecting the appearance of force.
Trump’s actions aim to demonstrate the fulfillment of electoral promises to protect national security through a hardline stance on drug trafficking. For the regime, the U.S. campaign may mobilize society against perceived foreign aggression and could be used to justify greater repression of the opposition.
