US Criticizes Caracas Response to Attempted Drone Attack on August 4 - State Dept

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) The United States has condemned the response of Caracas to the attempted assassination of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and urges an independent probe led by an expert commission, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement on Friday.

The United States condemns the political violence that occurred on August 4, and urges the Maduro regime to respect the rule of law, exercise restraint, and safeguard the presumption of innocence for all accused, Nauert said. The Venezuelan governments response to this incident has been to arbitrarily detain some individuals and a failure to follow due process. In addition, there have been violations of parliamentary immunity, which is protected by Venezuelas Constitution. The United States condemns the alleged use of torture to elicit confessions.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab said that 14 out of 34 suspects were arrested in connection with the attempted assassination, adding that some of those still at large were hiding abroad. Among those arrested, he mentioned two high-ranking Venezuelan military officers and opposition lawmaker Juan Requesens. The official noted that charges against the latter were based on video and audio evidence, confessions and testimonies.

We join the international community in calling for an independent expert commission to investigate the August 4 incident, Nauert said.

We urge the Maduro regime to respect the human rights of all persons detained in Venezuela and reiterate our call for the immediate release of all those who are arbitrarily detained, including political prisoners.

According to the Venezuelan authorities, the assassination attempt took place on August 4, when the president was attending a military parade in the country's capital Caracas. The presidential box was hit by an explosion caused by two bomb-laden drones, leaving Maduro unharmed but several soldiers wounded.

The State Department calls the events on August 4 an incident throughout the release.

The Government of Venezuela is responsible for the widespread instability and suffering in Venezuela, Nauert added.The Maduro regime has systematically stripped millions of Venezuelans of their basic rights as citizens, and limited their access to food, medical care, and basic security. We encourage the Maduro regime to accept international assistance and pursue policies that alleviate the humanitarian crisis and restore democratic freedoms.

Maduro accused the country's opposition and former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos of the assassination attempt, adding that some of the attackers were hiding in the United States. Both Bogota and Washington denied any involvement in the incident.