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(CNN Spanish) - The attorney general of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, announced this Thursday that his office opened an investigation for "attempted coup d'état" against the president of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, recognized by more than 50 countries as interim president of Venezuela.
"For this purpose, we opened MP-69482-2020 (investigation number) and appointed Prosecutors 22NN and 30NN to carry out the corresponding investigations: where Clíver Alcalá publicly declares that, together with Guaidó and US advisers, they intended to bathe Venezuela in blood" Saab posted on his Twitter account.
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The prosecutor, signaled by the opposition to respond to orders from the Maduro government, says he based his decision on statements by Clíver Alcalá Cordones, a retired general of the Venezuelan Army, who in a video message published on Thursday on his social networks said being part of an alleged plot to plan a military action in Venezuela against Maduro and implicated Juan Guaidó.
The Maduro government reported on Wednesday that it had detected an attempted entry of weapons across the border with Colombia, accusing Alcalá Cordones of wanting to carry out "selective killings, assassination, and attempted placement of explosive devices."
The retired military man, who was close to the late President Hugo Chávez, is among the current and former officials of the Venezuelan government who were accused Thursday by the United States Department of Justice of drug terrorism and corruption.
The statement in which he implicated Guaidó was made after hearing the accusation of the US government.
Alcalá Cordones told CNN that he is not afraid of being prosecuted for the drug trafficking charges. "I have done nothing wrong and I am sure this is all a mistake," he said. He asserted that he has no intention of fleeing Colombia, where he currently resides, and ratified his allegations about the alleged conspiracy against the Maduro government.
CNN contacted Juan Guaidó's team about Clíver Alcalá's allegations and the investigation opened by the Prosecutor's Office. A reaction is expected in the next few hours.
The Venezuelan government has implicated Guaidó in multiple conspiracy plans since he declared himself interim president of Venezuela in January 2019. The opposition leader has dismissed these types of accusations, calling them "novels" and considering them a distraction.
Prosecutor Juan Guaidó