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Venezuela president ties opposition leader to drone attack

In this still from a video provided by Venezolana de Television, Presiden Nicolas Maduro, center, delivers his speech as his wife Cilia Flores winces and looks up after being startled by and explosion, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. (AP)
In this still from a video provided by Venezolana de Television, Presiden Nicolas Maduro, center, delivers his speech as his wife Cilia Flores winces and looks up after being startled by and explosion, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. (AP)
By Scott Smith Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela – President Nicolas Maduro went on television Tuesday night to accuse one of Venezuela’s most prominent opposition leaders of being linked to a weekend assassination attempt using drones.

Maduro said statements by several of the six suspects already arrested pointed to involvement by Julio Borges, an opposition leader living in exile in Colombia.

“Several of the declarations indicated Julio Borges. The investigations point to him,” Maduro said, though he provided no details on Borges’ alleged role.

Critics of Maduro’s socialist government had said immediately following Saturday evening’s attack that they feared the unpopular leader would use the incident as an excuse to round up opposition politicians amid widespread unrest over Venezuela’s devastating economic collapse.

In the attack, two drones armed with explosives detonated near Maduro as he spoke outdoors during a military celebration. Images on live television showed Maduro and his wife looking up at the sky at one blast and then hundreds of soldiers scrambling.

Prosecutors have arrested six people who face charges of treason, attempted murder and terrorism.

The president also named opposition lawmaker Juan Requesens, seen in a video widely circulating on social media being arrested by Venezuela’s political police force.

As elected lawmakers, Borges and Requesens enjoy immunity from prosecution under Venezuelan law. But Diosdado Cabello, the powerful socialist party leader and president of the National Constitutional Assembly, said in a tweet Tuesday that he plans to introduce legislation stripping lawmakers of this protection.

Maduro spoke for two hours from the Miraflores Presidential Palace in a presentation using polished videos showing suspects and images of the drones exploding.

He held up military hats worn by soldiers with holes in them from debris the explosion. Several soldiers seated in the audience had white bandages on their heads, apparently injured in the assassination attempt.

Maduro said he will provide the evidence to officials in the United States and Colombia and ask for their cooperation handing over suspects who helped orchestrate and finance the attack.

“I want to explain to the government of the United States and the government of Colombia in detail all the evidence that leads us to accomplices and direct responsible living in the state of Florida,” Maduro said. “I trust in the good faith of Donald Trump.”