Explosions reported in the capital area of ??Venezuela: CNN and AP
There is still no official information from the government of Nicolas Maduro or the White House about the explosions reported in Caracas and nearby cities
A CNN team witnessed several explosions early Saturday morning in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, and reported that some areas of the city were left without electricity.
Around 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, at least seven explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard in the capital of Venezuela, reported Regina Garcia Cano, Associated Press correspondent.
The cause of the explosions was unknown. “One of the explosions was so strong that my window shook,” said Osmary Hernandez, CNN en Espanol correspondent. The first explosion was recorded at approximately 1:50 a.m. local time (12:50 a.m. ET).
Several areas of the city lost power, and CNN journalists in the Venezuelan capital could hear the sound of airplanes after the explosions. “Video obtained and verified by CNN showed two plumes of smoke rising into the night sky among the city lights. An orange glow can be seen at the base of one of the plumes. Then a flash is briefly seen elsewhere, followed by a loud bang.”
Local media reported that explosions were also heard in La Guaira, north of Caracas and home to the country’s main airport; and in Higuerote, a coastal city in the nearby state of Miranda.
“Residents of Caracas awoke in the early hours of January 3 to a series of explosions over the Venezuelan capital. They also reported overflights of planes and other aircraft, as well as power outages in various parts of the city,” reported Luz Mely Reyes. “Videos and photographs began circulating on social media showing helicopters and plumes of smoke and fire. An hour after the possible bombings, there is still no official information” from the government of Nicolas Maduro.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that the United States is preparing to take new measures against alleged drug trafficking networks in Venezuela and that ground attacks would begin “soon.”CNN has contacted the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon for comment on the reported explosions in Venezuela, but there has been no response at this time. This is a developing story.