Venezuela has raised alarms over an alleged extremist plot to target the closed U.S. Embassy in Caracas with explosives, heightening already strained bilateral relations. Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and the country’s dialogue delegation with the U.S., disclosed that Washington had been alerted through multiple channels about a “serious threat” posed by right-wing groups masquerading as supporters of President Nicolás Maduro. Rodríguez accused these factions of orchestrating a false-flag operation to plant explosives at the embassy, which has been shuttered since 2019 following the rupture of diplomatic ties between the two nations. Despite its closure, the embassy retains a skeleton staff responsible for security and maintenance. Rodríguez emphasized that Venezuela has bolstered security measures at the site and informed a European embassy to facilitate communication. The U.S. State Department has yet to comment on the allegations. The embassy compound, located in southeastern Caracas, remains under Venezuelan police patrol. The warning coincides with escalating tensions over the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, which Washington claims is aimed at combating drug cartels. Maduro has condemned the deployment as a threat to Venezuela’s sovereignty, while the U.S. accuses him of involvement in drug trafficking. The situation underscores the deepening rift between the two nations, with no signs of reconciliation in sight.
Venezuela denounces alleged ‘extremist’ plan to attack shuttered US Embassy complex
