Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday urged the Peruvian government to arrest a Venezuelan opponent, whom he accused of being responsible for an assault on military barracks in the south of the country.
During a speech on state radio and television, President Maduro said, “I ask that this terrorist named Vilca Fernandez, who on social media took responsibility for the attack on the Venezuelan military barracks, be captured under international laws”.
Maduro’s government said on Sunday that an armed “ultra-rightwing” group robbed weapons from a military facility in the state of Amazonas, which borders Brazil, Efe news reported.
He linked the attack to the head of Parliament, Juan Guaido, who has been recognised by more than 50 countries as the President of Venezuela.
Maduro also pointed the finger at opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez – currently residing as a guest at the residence of Jesus Silva, the Spanish ambassador in Caracas – and legislator Gilber Caro.
Maduro also termed this act as “terrorism,” and urged the Peruvian government to capture Fernandez and deport him to Venezuela to face justice, as there was no such thing as “good terrorism.”
Fernandez had been in prison since 2016 without much information released about the reason for his detention, while the opposition claimed that he was a political prisoner.
Upon his release in 2018, he left for Peru, and the opposition alleged that he had been exiled from the country.
In June, Venezuela self-proclaimed leader Juan Guaido dismissed the government claims of an attempted coup and said he would continue calls on the armed forces to abandon President Maduro.
Juan Guaido had earlier claimed that the troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro and armed forces clashed at a protest outside the Carcass airbase as the country hit a new crisis point in the month of April.
Thousands of opposition supporters flocked onto a highway near the base. But confusion reigned as they were met with gunfire and teargas fired by soldiers at the base.