Venezuela Claims To Have Captured Group Of CIA-Aligned Mercenaries
Oct 26 (Reuters) – Venezuela on Sunday condemned a military provocation by neighbor Trinidad and Tobago, coordinated with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, aimed at encouraging a full-blown military conflict with the Latin American nation.
Joint military exercises between the US and Trinidad and Tobago are currently underway in the Caribbean, and Venezuela has reported the capture of a group of mercenaries who were “with the direct knowledge of the American intelligence agency” and whose aim was to carry out a false flag attack in the region.
A false flag attack is an operation in which an action is carried out in a way that makes a different party appear responsible.
“False flag attacks are being carried out in the waters bordering Trinidad and Tobago or from Trinidad or Venezuelan territory in order to create a full-blown military conflict with our country,” the Venezuelan government said in a statement.
The statement released by Vice Mayor Delcy Rodriguez did not provide further details or evidence regarding the false flag attack accusations.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump confirmed reports that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has previously made accusations about false flag attacks; this included a plan to plant explosives at the US embassy in Caracas in early October.
The US State Department and the CIA were not immediately available for comment.
Trump has launched a series of attacks in the Caribbean and Pacific on boats that the administration claims are smuggling drugs. The Pentagon increased its military buildup in the Caribbean this Friday by deploying the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
