Venezuela has seized a commercial cargo plane consisting 19 rifles inside of it at the Arturo Michelena international airport in Valencia, Venezuela, according to the country’s deputy minister for prevention and citizen security Endes Palencia.
According to Sputnik news reports, representatives from the National Integrated Service of Customs and Tax Administration (SENIAT) and the Venezuelan National Guard have seized 19 rifles at the airport in Venezuela.
#5Feb | #EsNoticia Incautado armamento bélico procedente de EEUU en aeropuerto internacional de Valencia 👉🏻 Aquí los detalles https://t.co/PWyD5axrUh pic.twitter.com/sipf2Xfiv1
— Néstor Reverol (@NestorLReverol) February 5, 2019
According to the ministry, high-caliber ammunition, 19 rifles along with 118 magazines, including 90 radio with six mobile phones were being found and seized in the stash that allegedly sent from Miami, Florida on February 3. The Venezuelan authorities have also launched an investigation into the incident.
✔19 fusiles
✔118 cargadores de fusil
✔4 porta fusil
✔3 miras para fusil
✔90 antenas de radio
✔6 teléfonos fueron hallados en el patio de almacenamiento del aeropuerto de Valencia los cuales ingresaron al país el #3Feb en el Air Bus N881YV procedente de Miami,EEUU #5Feb pic.twitter.com/5wnBFnxaFt— GD Endes Palencia Ortiz (@PalenciaEndes) February 5, 2019
The United States President Donald Trump, while addressing his State of Union speech, said the US stands with Venezuela “in their noble quest for freedom”.
However, the Venezuelan authorities have blamed Washington for the crisis, with the country’s legitimate elected President Nicolas Maduro accused Trump of attempting to organize a coup in the political crisis-hit country.
The Venezuelan president has dismissed an American promised on February 5 to send relief aid to the political crisis-hit South American country as a pretext for invasion and a “political stunt”.