Early Saturday morning, the city of Caracas, Venezuela, was shaken by multiple explosions. Residents reported hearing low-flying aircraft at the same time.
Smoke was seen rising from a hangar at a military base in the city. Another military installation in the capital also reportedly lost power. The cause of the explosions is not yet clear.
People in several neighborhoods ran into the streets. They watched from a distance as the events unfolded.
“The whole ground shook. This is horrible,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker. “We heard explosions and planes. We felt like the air was hitting us,” she told The Associated Press.
Venezuelan state television did not interrupt its schedule. It continued to air regular programming, including a segment on music and art.
The explosions happened during a time of high tension. Recently, the United States military has carried out strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Just on Friday, Venezuela said it was willing to talk with Washington. It wants to negotiate an anti-narcotics agreement.
In a recorded interview broadcast Thursday, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro made serious accusations. He said the U.S. is trying to force a change in Venezuela’s government. He also claimed the U.S. wants access to Venezuela’s large oil reserves. He said this campaign began with a U.S. military deployment to the Caribbean in August.
Maduro himself faces criminal charges in the U.S. He is accused of narco-terrorism. Last week, a CIA drone strike hit an area in Venezuela. U.S. officials said the area was used by drug cartels. This was the first known U.S. operation on Venezuelan land since strikes on boats started in September.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump had warned he might approve strikes on land targets. The U.S. has also seized oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast. Trump had ordered a blockade of others. These actions are meant to increase economic pressure on the country.
This is a developing news story. More information is expected to follow.
