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'Terrorist' rebellion thwarted at Venezuela military base

A video showed armed men in military fatigues who said they wanted to "re-establish the constitutional order".

The video posted on Twitter shows a man in army captain uniform surrounded by 16 men in camouflage
Image: A man calling himself Captain Juan Caguaripano demanded free elections. Pic. Twitter
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Two members of a "terrorist" gang that stormed a Venezuelan military base in the early hours of Sunday were shot dead, the country's President has said.

Nicolas Maduro said a third man was wounded and seven captured, but 10 members had managed to escape.

He claimed the attack was "paid for" by anti-government leaders in Miami and Colombia.

The group entered the Paramacay Fort base in Valencia - two hours from the capital Caracas - at about 4am, with witnesses reporting gunshots and loud patriotic singing.

Diosdado Cabello, deputy leader of the socialist party, tweeted that it was a "terrorist attack" and said troops had acted quickly to control the situation.

The incident came after a video was released showing a group in military clothing declaring that they wanted to save the country from "destruction".

Protesters set a barricade on fire in Valencia, Venezuela's third-biggest city
Image: Protesters set a barricade on fire in Valencia, Venezuela's third-biggest city

It showed a man who identifies himself as Captain Juan Caguaripano - a former National Guard captain - surrounded by a group wearing military fatigues, some of whom were armed.

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Calling the group the 41st Brigade, he announced a rebellion and demanded the "immediate formation of a transitional government and free elections".

"This is not a coup d'etat", says the man, but an effort "to save the country from total destruction".

"This is a civic and military action to re-establish the constitutional order", he adds.

Speaking on television, President Maduro said the members of the group who were captured were all civilians with the exception of their leader - a deserted army officer.

Authorities said the group had stolen some of the army's weapons.

They are expected to be tried at military tribunals.

Members of the new assembly in Caracas
Image: Members of the controversial new assembly in the capital Caracas
Luisa Ortega declared herself 'under siege' before being sacked from her job
Image: Luisa Ortega declared herself 'under siege' before being sacked from her job

It comes days after a controversial vote that created a new which gives President Maduro virtually unlimited powers.

Countries around the world have condemned the vote, with the firm that supplied the voting machines saying authorities massively exaggerated the turnout.

The day after the assembly was inaugurated a staunch critic of President Maduro, was sacked and ordered to stand trial for alleged "irregularities".

Her bank accounts have been frozen and she has been banned from leaving the country.

Many fear the 545 members of the assembly - all allies of the President - will further clamp down on dissent and undermine freedoms in the struggling country.

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Venezuela opposition leader Lopez 'arrested'

Earlier in the week after being dragged from their homes in the middle of the night.

One of those - Leopoldo Lopez - was returned to house arrest on Saturday - after being detained in military prison for four days.

Four months of protests in the divided country have left at least 120 people dead, 2,000 wounded and over 500 in jail.

Despite having plentiful oil supplies, severe shortages of food and medicine have led to thousands of Venezuelans leaving to live in neighbouring countries.