Venezuelan officials on Sunday said they foiled an early morning attempt by armed “mercenaries” to invade the country in a beach landing using speedboats.
They said eight of the raiders were killed and two arrested.
The boats came from neighbouring Colombia and were trying to enter Venezuela along its northern coast, 32 kilometres from the capital Caracas, Nestor Reverol, the Interior Minister, told state television on Sunday.
“The plan was to commit terrorist acts in the country, assassinate leaders of the revolutionary government and add to the spiral of violence while generating chaos and confusion in the population and attempt a new coup d’etat,” Mr Reverol said.
Diosdado Cabello, president of the Constituent Assembly that oversees government bodies, said a large cache of weapons and some vehicles were seized by security forces.
Officials said they also found Peruvian documents, satellite phones, uniforms and helmets adorned with the US flag.
Colombia and the US have repeatedly denied Venezuelan accusations that they were backing military plots against the socialist government.
The opposition led by the head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido, said the attack appeared to be staged.
Mr Guaido’s office said the official version was “riddled with inconsistencies, doubts and contradictions”.
It said the event could have been staged to sully the opposition or to cover up extrajudicial killings by state forces.
Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said that some of the seized weapons were used in the failed uprising led by Mr Guaido last year.
Mr Padrino said the army remained loyal to President Nicolas Maduro and would launch patrols along the coast after the incident.
“This was an evident aggression prepared by US imperialism, without a doubt in Colombian territory,” he said on state television. “New arrests are not ruled out.”
Mr Maduro, whose rule was deemed illegitimate by almost 60 nations who call his re-election in 2018 fraudulent, has resisted many attempts to remove him from power.
A year ago, Mr Guaido rallied some troops behind him to try to force Mr Maduro from power, although it quickly failed when some key players backed out at the last moment.
The US has backed Mr Guaido and has led the campaign to remove Mr Maduro.
The US has increased pressure in recent weeks by indicting the socialist leader as a narco-trafficker and offering a $15 million (Dh55m) reward for his arrest.
It has also has increased heavy sanctions, cutting off Venezuela’s oil sector.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs: 2018 Audi RS5
Price, base: Dh359,200
Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
