Venezuelan security forces reveal phone-tap details in foiled conspiracy to assassinate President Hugo Chavez Frias

VHeadline.com reporter Vanessa C. Marcano writes: Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) deputies have told a Caracas press conference they have evidence of an attempt at electoral sabotage which was scheduled to take place in connection with last Sunday's elections.

Movimiento Quinta Republica (MVR) deputy Cilia Flores presented a series of recorded conversations allegedly including a group of retired military officials gathered together by Gustavo Diaz Vivas (Pedro Carmona Estanga’s personal body guard during the 2-day coup d'etat in April 2002), Oswaldo Suju Raffo, Antonio Guevara Fernandez and Carlos Gonzalez Caraballo.

Terrorist acts were to have been launched last Sunday, as the parliamentary elections were taking place.

Flores, together with AN president Nicolas Maduro and 2nd AN vice-president, Pedro Carreno said that explosive devices found in Caracas days before the electoral process were part of a strategy which was aimed at bringing about the assassination of President Hugo Chavez. "The CIA is behind this plan," the deputies told reporters adding that some opposition politicians may have been party to the plot by withdrawing from the election at the last minute.

"They were preparing a terrorist destabilization plot to delay the elections; we then saw opposition party leaders abruptly withdraw from the election and we said that those who reject the electoral path are planning something else. Many wondered what 'Plan B' was, but we knew (and the people knew), and now we have decided to come out with evidence that arrived at the National Assembly yesterday (Wednesday)," Cilia Flores said, adding that she and her colleagues would demand an immediate and thorough investigation by pertinent authorities.

AN president Maduro said the evidence would be turned over to the authorities and made a call for the general population to reflect on the sequence of events represented in the evidence which included a recorded phone call in which retired General Oswaldo Suju Raffo allegedly discusses part of the national and international plan, detailing violent events that would take place in Venezuela ... he talks about the purchase of weapons of war, specifically, Swedish 40 AT-4s manufactured under license by the US Pentagon.

The weapon can be used to destroy tanks, helicopters, vehicles, buildings and injure or kill great concentrations of people.

During the phone-tap conversation, the conspirators revealed their intention to attack government institutions and leaders ... coded as "first class passengers" ... they estimated that some 15,000 deaths would result as collateral damage in their terrorist plan.

The MVR deputies are now asking if, as a result of the conspiracy details revealed today, the opposition parties that withdrew from last Sunday's election knew of the plan to create violence among the population ... "they must give some sort of response ... these actions could have provoked an extensive bloodbath. Fortunately, the plan was discovered and neutralized by out national security forces," Cilia Flores saidd.

The deputies have also announced that they will hold another press conference this Saturday to reveal more incriminating details about the latest plot to overthrow the government and kill President Hugo Chavez Frias.

Vanessa C. Marcano
vanessa@vheadline.com