Fugitive Venezuelan Colonel Is Shown Confessing to Coup Attempt
By Andrew Rosati
7 February 2019, 14:40 GMT-5
- Garcia Palomo was captured as he slipped into country
- He said he was in contact with CIA, Colombian officials
A fugitive Venezuelan colonel captured last month after slipping back into the country was shown on video Thursday confessing to ties with the Central Intelligence Agency and Colombian officials.
Colonel Oswaldo Garcia Palomo, 54, who’d publicly professed plans for rebellion and whose welfare was the focus of international attention, is shown looking reasonably fit in a dress shirt standing against a neutral background.
He described logistical support and freedom to enter and exit Colombia as he worked last year to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government.
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“We managed to get a very important group together,” Garcia said.
He added that he spoke with a CIA agent in Tampa, Florida, who told him the U.S. was considering military action in the first quarter of 2019.
Garcia said he told the agent he and his group wanted to carry out a coup without U.S. help.
“Let’s resolve this ourselves, we Venezuelans,” he said.
The video was presented by Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez at a press conference in Caracas.
Rodriguez said Garcia had ties to opposition politicians and intended to rally soldiers to mutiny, close off the capital, and overtake the presidential palace.
'Murican Imperialism at it's finest.
Even after being fed the truth, most 'muricans still thump their chests, chant usa, and want to violently dominate everybody else.
I know we have been raised this way, but at some point we have to grow up and take responsibility for ourselves.
The alternative sources of information are helping with this, but, imo, it can't happen fast enough.
This will be very different place with rule by force off the list of options.