Intense bursts of gunfire near the Miraflores Palace, in the center of Caracas, were reported during the night of this Monday in Venezuela, which caused uncertainty in the population.
According to the first reports, there was an overflight of 10 to 12 drones over the presidential palace, which were fired upon by the Venezuelan armed forces.
Likewise, witnesses reported the deployment of military personnel in the area, along with armored vehicles.
The incidents were recorded on the same day that Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president of Venezuela and two days after the US military attack that ended with the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Internal confusion
According to the Venezuelan media El Nacional, after the shooting there was speculation about a possible coup against Delcy Rodríguez, although they later cited “sources with knowledge of what happened” pointing out that the incident “would have been the product of internal confusion among the security officials themselves.”
According to this version – adds the media – surveillance drones were deployed in the area without officials on the ground being previously informed of the operation. Upon detecting the drones flying over the area, some troops opened fire, believing it was a threat.
The same source explained to the media that confirmation that the drones belonged to the security forces themselves took a while to arrive, which prolonged the confusion and generated the shots.
Reports of the incident came from areas of the Venezuelan capital such as La Pastora, La Candelaria and Urdaneta and Baralt avenues, according to the local press.
The gunshots also caused panic among nearby residents, many of whom evacuated homes and buildings for fear of a new attack.
So far, no injuries or arrests have been reported due to the incident. There is also no formal statement from the government or security agencies of the South American country.