Chaos as gunfire erupts near Venezuela's presidential palace in Caracas

Venezuela was gripped by unrest on Monday night after reports of heavy gunfire near the presidential palace in Caracas, following the sudden removal of President Nicolás Maduro from power. Videos circulating on social media captured the sound of sustained gunfire echoing across the capital. Local journalist Richard Humberto Blanco Bencomo shared footage that appears to show armed individuals moving through the area surrounding the Miraflores Palace and opening fire. In a caption translated from Spanish, Blanco wrote: “A resident of Miraflores in Caracas sends me this video. Shooting in the vicinity. I don’t know the real reason.” Residents in the area said they heard what they described as “anti-aircraft” blasts near the palace as disorder spread through the streets in the days after Maduro and his wife were reportedly seized from their home and flown to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Witnesses said the night sky was lit by what appeared to be drones and anti-aircraft fire beginning around 8:15pm local time. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States would assist in rebuilding Venezuela’s deteriorated infrastructure, suggesting it could take up to 18 months before new elections are held. Trump said the country would require a period of stabilization before citizens could vote for a new leader. “We have to fix the country first. You can’t have an election," Mr Trump said. “There’s no way the people could even vote. It’s going to take a period of time. We have to nurse the country back to health." China meanwhile issued a stunning four-word demand after US special forces swiftly captured its Venezuelan ally Nicolas Maduro , sparking concerns of rising tensions between Beijing and Washington DC. The Venezuelan dictator and his wife were nabbed and forcibly removed from their compound in the middle of the night during the audacious mission. Both are now set to appear in a New York court on Monday after being charged with a series of offences, including narco-terrorism and smuggling drugs into the US. The raid sent shockwaves across the world as the US signalled it was willing to defy international norms and strike effectively against nations it deemed as a threat or annoyance. Beijing and Moscow, who formed an axis against US dominance, have voiced their fury after Maduro was dragged across the Americas to stand trial. The Chinese foreign ministry struck out with a damning four-word demand aimed at US President Donald Trump : "Release them at once." Beijing officials then expressed serious concern over their transfer out of the country."

स्रोत: Mirror Co Uk