Venezuela seizes new shipment of US military equipment

Diosdado Cabello (L) hands over a confiscated weapon from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (R), September 16, 2024. X/ @gabriel3882050

September 17, 2024 Time: 08:02 AM

It was intended to be used during the presidential election on July 28.

On Monday, Minister of Citizen Security Diosdado Cabello confirmed that Venezuelan security forces had seized US military equipment, one of the reasons why more than 400 rifles were seized on September 14.

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Among the weapons seized were Kalashnikov rifles and other firearms from Century Arms, a company that specializes in making replicas of the AK rifle. Authorities also seized an M4A1, a carbine-style automatic assault rifle used exclusively by U.S. forces.

The Minister of Citizen Security stressed that the weapons shipment was intended for use during Venezuela’s presidential elections on July 28. He also revealed that the coup plotters had links with a hacker mafia from Israel.

“We have arrested three individuals involved in grenade attacks. These criminals were linked to Jose Miguel Estrada, who is serving a sentence for the attempted assassination of President Nicolas Maduro,” he said.

“Fourteen gang leaders have been arrested and are being interrogated for planning to plant explosives in prisons,” Cabello said, confirming that Wilber Castañeda, an active member of the U.S. military, has contacted a person with ties to the criminal gang known as the Aragua Train.

“The weapons entered Venezuela from Colombia,” said the Bolivarian Citizens’ Security Minister, revealing that far-right coup plotters distributed leaflets in Miami and Colombia before the election, claiming they would seize the Venezuelan government headquarters regardless of the election results.

On Monday night, President Nicolas Maduro said that these events confirm previous accusations that Hector Guerrero (also known as Niño), leader of the Aragua train, is directly linked to the terrorist attacks. He also indicated that what Cabello has presented publicly “is not even 10 percent of the complete evidence regarding the terrorist plans” that the Venezuelan Public Prosecutor’s Office already has in its possession.