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Tom Phillips<\/p>\nVenezuela accuses US of trying to ‘seize control’ of country’s resourcesTom Phillips<\/p>\n
Venezuela\u2019s authoritarian government has accused the US of risking plunging Latin America into chaos with \u201can extremely serious\u201d act of \u201cimperial aggression\u201d after Donald Trump<\/a> reportedly ordered strikes against the South American country.<\/p>\n Explosions, loud noises and low-flying aircraft were heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday amid reports that Trump had ordered the attack. In a statement, Venezuela\u2019s government confirmed that Caracas had come under attack, as well as three other states: Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only objective of this attack is to seize control of Venezuela\u2019s strategic resources, in particular its oil and minerals,\u201d it said, calling on the international community to denounce what it called a flagrant violation of international law that put millions of lives at risk.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n The Reuters news agency says it has been told by a US<\/strong> official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that the US carried out strikes inside Venezuela on Saturday<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The unnamed official did not provide details. As mentioned earlier, the White House<\/strong> and Pentagon<\/strong> did not immediately respond to request for comment on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Venezuela\u2019s government urges its citizens to rise up against apparent US assault Venezuela<\/strong>\u2019s government has urged its citizens to rise up against the apparent US<\/strong> assault after the president Nicolas Maduro<\/strong> declared a nationwide state of emergency.<\/p>\n \u201cThe entire country must mobilize to defeat this imperialist aggression,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Smoke raises at La Carlota airport after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday. Photograph: Matias Delacroix\/APShare<\/a>What we know so far<\/p>\n Here is what we know so far:<\/p>\n Explosions, loud noises and low-flying aircraft were heard in the Venezuelan<\/strong> capital of Caracas<\/strong> in the early hours of Saturday amid reports that Donald Trump<\/strong> had ordered the attack.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n In the early hours of Saturday the president of neighbouring Colombia<\/strong>, Gustavo Petro<\/strong>, claimed on social media that Venezuela<\/a><\/strong> had come under attack. \u201cRight now they are bombing Caracas \u2026 bombing it with missiles,\u201d Petro wrote on X, calling for an immediate emergency session of the UN security council<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n In a statement, Venezuela\u2019s government confirmed that Caracas<\/strong> had come under attack, as well as three other states: Miranda<\/strong>, La Guaira<\/strong> and Aragua<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Venezuela<\/strong> rejects \u201cmilitary aggression\u201d by the US<\/strong>, the government of president Nicolas Maduro<\/strong> said in a statement early Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Venezuela has accused the US of trying to \u2018seize control\u2019 of country\u2019s resources, in particular its oil and minerals<\/strong>. Th country has called on the international community to denounce what it called a flagrant violation of international law<\/strong> that put millions of lives at risk.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Venezuelan president Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a><\/strong> \u201cordered all national defence plans to be implemented\u201d<\/strong> and declared \u201ca state of external disturbance\u201d<\/strong>, according to a statement on Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The explosions come after a five-month US pressure campaign against Maduro<\/a><\/strong>, which many analysts believe is designed to topple the Venezuelan leader. Since August, Donald Trump has ordered a massive military buildup off Venezuela\u2019s northern coast and conducted a series of deadly airstrikes on supposed \u201cnarco boats\u201d. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to request for comment on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here are some of the latest images coming through from Venezuela:<\/p>\n Fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s largest military complex. Photograph: Luis Jaimes\/AFP\/Getty ImagesA column of smoke rises during multiple explosions in the early hours of the morning, in Caracas, Venezuela. Photograph: Video Obtained By Reuters\/ReutersResidents evacuate a building near the Miraflores presidential palace. Photograph: Cristian Hernandez\/APSoldiers guard the area around the Miraflores presidential palace. Photograph: Cristian Hernandez\/APShare<\/a>Venezuela accuses US of trying to ‘seize control’ of country’s resources Venezuela\u2019s authoritarian government has accused the US of risking plunging Latin America into chaos with \u201can extremely serious\u201d act of \u201cimperial aggression\u201d after Donald Trump<\/a> reportedly ordered strikes against the South American country.<\/p>\n Explosions, loud noises and low-flying aircraft were heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in the early hours of Saturday amid reports that Trump had ordered the attack. In a statement, Venezuela\u2019s government confirmed that Caracas had come under attack, as well as three other states: Miranda, La Guaira and Aragua.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only objective of this attack is to seize control of Venezuela\u2019s strategic resources, in particular its oil and minerals,\u201d it said, calling on the international community to denounce what it called a flagrant violation of international law that put millions of lives at risk.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Venezuela accuses US over attacks<\/p>\n Venezuela rejects \u201cmilitary aggression\u201d by the United States, the government of president Nicolas Maduro said in a statement early Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople to the streets!\u201d the statement said. \u201cThe Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement added that President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> had \u201cordered all national defence plans to be implemented\u201d and declared \u201ca state of external disturbance\u201d.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll bring you more on this when we have it\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.56 EST<\/p>\n Venezuela\u2019s government has now commented on the explosions, which it says were due to attacks on the country.<\/p>\n The attacks took place in Caracas and Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira states, the government says in a statement carried by Reuters.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> My colleague and the Guardian\u2019s Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips has more on the situation in Caracas:<\/strong><\/p>\n Explosions, loud noises and low-flying aircraft have been heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, amid reports that Donald Trump<\/a> had ordered strikes against the South American country.<\/p>\n In the early hours of Saturday the president of neighbouring Colombia, Gustavo Petro, claimed on social media that Venezuela<\/a> had come under attack. \u201cRight now they are bombing Caracas \u2026 bombing it with missiles,\u201d Petro wrote on X, calling for an immediate emergency session of the UN security council.<\/p>\n Soon after CBS News reported that Trump had had ordered the attacks – including on military facilities.<\/p>\n At least seven explosions were heard about 2am local time and people in various neighbourhoods rushed to the street, the Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes in the distance,\u201d said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker.<\/p>\n Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke pouring from two key military installations in Caracas: the La Carlota military airfield at the heart of the city and the Fuerte Tiuna military base where Venezuela\u2019s authoritarian leader, Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>, has long been thought to live.<\/p>\n Venezuela\u2019s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n The explosions come after a five-month US pressure campaign against Maduro<\/a>, which many analysts believe is designed to topple the Venezuelan leader. Since August, Donald Trump has ordered a massive military buildup off Venezuela\u2019s northern coast and conducted a series of deadly airstrikes on supposed \u201cnarco boats\u201d.<\/p>\n The White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to request for comment on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Colombian president calls for emergency UN security council meeting<\/p>\n The president of neighbouring Colombia is claiming on social media that Venezuela<\/a> is under attack.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now they are bombing Caracas \u2026 bombing it with missiles,\u201d Gustavo Petro wrote on X, calling for an immediate emergency session of the UN security council.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cColombia since yesterday is a member of the United Nations Security Council and must be convened immediately. Establish the international legality of the aggression against Venezuela. The PMU is activated in C\u00facuta and the operational plan at the border.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a002.39 EST<\/p>\n Explosions reported in Caracas<\/p>\n Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the developing situation in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela<\/a>.<\/p>\n Witnesses have reported hearing explosions and aircraft in Caracas in the early hours of Saturday morning.<\/p>\n A southern area of the city, near a major military base, is reported to be without electricity.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll bring you updates when we get them.<\/p>\nTom Phillips<\/p>\n\n
Tom Phillips<\/p>\nTom Phillips<\/p>\n