Venezuela's President Maduro calls on Colombia and the U.S. to extradite those behind an alleged assassination attempt at the weekend
ADVERTISEMENTVenezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has accused opposition politicians of playing a role in an alleged failed assassination attempt over the weekend. Speaking on TV Maduro also claimed the former president of Colombia was involved in the planning of the incident. He alleged Juan Manuel Santos had confided to former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy that before he left office Maduro would no longer be there.
He named opposition lawmakers Julio Borges and Juan Requesens as being the incident on Saturday, and he called on Colombia and the United States to extradite those responsible:
"The terrorists are trained in Colombia, they're trained in Colombia, protected by Bogota. Declarations point to Julio Borges, all declarations point to Julio Borges, who lives in a mansion in Bogotá, protected by the outgoing government of Colombia. Julio Borges. We know that he has the cowardice to participate in this type of event, I know it perfectly well. It is referred to in all the violent events, coup plotters over the last 15 years. Always Julio Borges, always Julio Borges. Now it is referred to directly. Now the involvement of another opposition leader comes to light, one of the most crazy and psychopathic. Juan Requesens, the worst psychopath in the opposition."
Opposition deputy Juan Requesens was arrested on Tuesday. He belongs to the Primero Justicia group and has been the victim of violent attacks in demonstrations against the Maduro government. His group is led by the ex-president of the Venezuelan parliament, Julio Borges, whom Maduro blames for the attack.
Borges has responded on Twitter saying that Maduro had previously accused him of various economic crimes such as causing hyperinflation. He denied organising the alleged assassination attempt and said the only person responsible for the tragic situation in Venezuela was Maduro.