28 Jun 2017

Police helicopter attacks Venezuela Supreme Court

5:13 pm on 28 June 2017

A helicopter has apparently tried to bomb Venezuela's Supreme Court in what President Nicolas Maduro called a "terrorist attack".

An officer identifying himself as Oscar Perez made a statement on Instagram.

An officer identifying himself as Oscar Perez made a statement on Instagram. Photo: Instagram

According to the government, an army officer took a police helicopter and flew it over the capital, Caracas.

Videos on social media show a helicopter swooping over the city and several loud bangs can be heard.

The officer believed to have seized the helicopter put out a video statement condemning the government.

There are no reports of anyone being killed or injured.

There have been almost daily protests against the leftist government for more than two months, as the country's economic and political crisis has worsened.

More than 70 people have been killed in protest-related violence since 1 April, according to figures released by the chief prosecutor's office.

President Maduro said grenades had been dropped in the attack and he promised that security forces would capture those behind it.

The officer, who called himself Oscar Perez, appeared on Instagram, flanked by armed and masked men in uniform.

He appealed to Venezuelans to oppose the "criminal government".

- BBC

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