Venezuela’s Supreme Court fell victim to an attack Tuesday evening after a helicopter dropped grenades on the building and fired shots at the interior ministry, the nation’s president, Nicolas Maduro, announced in a televised address. Speaking to pro-government journalists at the Miraflores presidential palace, Maduro referred to the incident as both “an act of terrorism” and a conspiracy to overthrow his government. While the grenades failed to detonate, preventing any injuries, Maduro claimed the attacks “could have caused a tragedy with several dozen dead and injured.” He added: “I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace. Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those who carried out this terror attack.”
While experts have expressed doubts over the veracity of Maduro’s claims, witnesses on the scene said they heard what sounded like guards firing at the helicopter. A reporter from the Associated Press also confirmed sounds of gunfire and the sight of a blue helicopter flying over downtown Caracas. Video on social media indeed shows a helicopter hovering over the city’s Supreme Court building, followed by a loud bang:
Momento en el que helicóptero del CICPC disparó a sede del #TSJ en #Caracas. Reportó @LuisOlavarrieta #27Jun pic.twitter.com/KdiAAl9Lfa
— CaraotaDigital (@CaraotaDigital) June 28, 2017
The Venezuelan daily newspaper El Nacional has since reported that the helicopter’s pilot is Oscar Pérez, a former captain of the nation’s largest national police agency, the CICPC. In the wake of the incident, photos circulating on social media show a banner with the phrase “Liberty. Article 350” hanging from the helicopter, which was reportedly stolen. The phrase refers to an article in the Venezuelan constitution that gives citizens the right to civilly disobey “any regime that runs counter to democratic guarantees or undermines human rights.”