Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and personnel of state security agencies review some of the explosive material seized from a warehouse in Anzoátegui state. Photo: Con El Mazo Dando
Venezuelan Minister of the Interior Diosdado Cabello reported the seizure of more than 1,500 kilos of explosives in a warehouse located in El Tigre, Simón Rodríguez municipality of Anzoátegui state. In response to some claims that the company works for the oil industry, he pointed out that the limit of explosive material allowed for such companies is 50 kilos and 100 electric detonators, and that the company in question has not been contracted by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for 8 years.
He added that after the seizure of explosives in warehouses in Monagas state last week, further investigations led to the discovery of this warehouse. “No oil company can have more than 50 kilos of explosives,” he said. “If any company keeps more than that, it is suspected of its use and commercialization, and the government must do everything to safeguard the peace of the country.”
The seized material included 6,769 shaped charges, 724 cutters, 220 electric detonators, 128 pellet-type explosives, 33 FRHO Ace explosives, 12 plug boxes, 27 additional explosives, and rolls of detonating cord.
Among the seized explosives was an 18-kilogram explosive device containing HMX, a powerful nitroamine high explosive typically used in military applications. While oil drilling does require the use of explosive charges, the size of this device and the fact that it contains military-grade explosive material suggests that it was designed for more nefarious purposes. According to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, in the event that all the seized material in the warehouse had exploded, it would have resulted in an explosion radius of over 900 meters with the shrapnel extending as far a 1.2 kilometers.
Regarding the company that owns the warehouse where the material was seized, he noted that it is surprising that they possessed such a large quantity of explosive material especially because it has not been employed by the Venezuelan oil industry for years.
Venezuela Seizes Large Explosive Shipment Destined for Far-Right Terrorist Attacks
“So then you check and start adding up and realize that their connections are not good. They are connected with that nefarious character named Juan Guaidó, and they remained here with what was left of that group, which is worse than Juan Guaidó,” Cabello remarked.
He reported that cameras and computers had been removed from the warehouse before the seizure; however, the security agencies found them and are conducting the necessary investigations to determine why they were removed and what information they contain.
“When you look into the owners, the legal consultant of the company, the links that they have with the extremist sectors connected to María Corina Machado, then everything becomes very clear, and that is part of this investigation,” he said, specifying that 18 people have been detained in connection with the investigations.
He further announced that “a thorough investigation has been ordered regarding the explosion that occurred in Muscar [gas complex where an explosion took place in November 2024] as well as in the Barbacoa sector, where some time ago there was an explosion, damaging 600 meters of pipelines.”
“We continue to work. Today we are raiding another warehouse,” he announced, adding that details will be released soon.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/DZ
