Venezuela's former parliament speaker charged for attack on Maduro

Venezuela's former parliament speaker charged for attack on Maduro

Julio Borges. (File Photo: Xinhua/Boris Vergara/IANS)

President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro. (File Photo: IANS)

Caracas, Aug 9 (IANS) Venezuela's Supreme Court has ordered the arrest of opposition leader and former congressional speaker Julio Borges in connection with the failed attempt on the life of President Nicolas Maduro.

The court on Wednesday said Borges is also responsible for the attempted homicide of seven army officers who were injured in last Saturday's attacks, Efe news reported. The lawmaker was also charged with "terrorism, funding terrorism, and conspiracy to commit crimes". Borges, who remains a member of congress, is currently in neighbouring Colombia. The order to arrest Borges comes as the National Constituent Assembly debates lifting the immunity of various legislators accused of links to the attack on the president. Maduro was presiding over a military ceremony last Saturday when attackers launched two drones carrying explosives toward the president, his wife and other dignitaries. Electronic counter-measures diverted one drone and the second hit an apartment building several blocks away. The ceremony was being aired live on television and viewers could see images of Maduro and the first lady looking upward before security officers gathered around the president to shield him. Six alleged perpetrators are in custody. On Tuesday night, Maduro accused Borges and another lawmaker, Juan Requesens, of being involved in the attack. Primero Justicia, the party to which both lawmakers belong, denounced that Requesens was arrested in his home by the Sebin intelligence service. Borges condemned the arrest of his colleague. "You are the only person who is responsible for the tragedy in the country," Borges wrote on Twitter from Colombia, addressing Maduro. --IANS pgh/

(This story was auto-published from a syndicated feed. No part of the story has been edited by The Quint.)