Author: Unknown
Published on: 08/01/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the arrest of a group of foreign “mercenaries” including Colombian and United States citizens. He said the group was planning “terrorist acts” ahead of the inauguration ceremony on Friday, describing them as two Colombian “hitmen” from the war in Ukraine and two US citizens. Neither the US Department of State nor Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately responded to requests for comment. Maduro has over the years made frequent wild claims of US-led plots to depose him. The latest arrests came just hours after US President Joe Biden met with exiled Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. Gonzalez Urrutia has been declared president-elect by several governments in the region, including the US. Washington and several of Venezuela’s democratic neighbours believe the opposition leader won the July presidential election by a landslide. The opposition has called for “millions” of Venezuelans to turn out in protest on Thursday to prevent Maduro from retaining power and being officially sworn in.
Original: 525 words
Summary: 169 words
Percent reduction: 67.81%