00:00And we're now getting some breaking news.
00:01This is from Venezuela, where there has been a heavy gunfire near Venezuela's presidential palace.
00:06Security forces opened fire after unidentified drones flew over the presidential palace in Venezuela.
00:12And the situation is now under control.
00:16But there were unidentified drones, after which there was heavy gunfire near Venezuela's presidential palace.
00:22And these drones flew over the presidential palace, and after which the security forces opened fire at these unidentified drones.
00:32We're now being joined by Rosali Hernandez, who's a journalist from Caracas in Venezuela.
00:37Rosali, help us understand what exactly happened near the presidential palace,
00:42keeping in mind the airstrikes by United States that just happened days ago.
00:48Yeah, I don't know what time is in there.
00:52I'm sorry.
00:52Right now in Venezuela, it's 9 o'clock, 9 p.m.
00:59So there was a confusion.
01:01Right now, we are under a lot of pressure.
01:04There's a lot of forces of security surrounding all the city.
01:09One force of the state was making a flight through all the city.
01:15And another force that was called Los Colectivos, or the collective, wasn't aware of what those drones were.
01:24So they opened fire immediately so they wouldn't be under attack again.
01:30So it was just a confusion.
01:32So do we have any more details about these drones that are said to be unidentified?
01:40Where were these drones from?
01:42Yeah, well, this drone belongs to a national security force that has a name, the DIGESIM.
01:52That's a Spanish name.
01:55That's a force of contra-intelligencia.
01:58That's a security force that commands all the forces right here in Caracas.
02:05The other force that is controlling the place where nearby Miraflores, that's the main palace, where the president right now is, Delcy Rodriguez, they saw it like a threat.
02:20But it was just drones of recognition, of surveillance.
02:26So it was just a confusion.
02:27Those drones belong to a state force of security.
02:32All right, Rosali, do stay with us.
02:36So there were unidentified drones near the presidential palace in Venezuela, after which the security forces opened fire.
02:44But Rosali, who's a journalist from Venezuela, claims that there was some confusion over these drones.
02:50Meanwhile, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has appeared before a U.S. court where he has declared that he's not guilty.
02:57He also asserted that he remains the legitimate president of Venezuela.
03:02Meanwhile, at the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. operation against Venezuela has faced sharp international criticism.
03:09Venezuela's ambassador condemned the operation as an illegitimate attack, adding that Maduro was kidnapped and the action constitutes a clear violation of international law.
03:19Russia also sharply criticized the U.S., stating that no justification exists for the crime and condemned the operation as armed aggression in breach of international law.
03:30China, too, condemned the operation as illegal and bullying.
03:34Chinese officials called on the U.S. to ensure the safety of President Maduro and his wife and also urged their immediate release.
03:41U.S., however, has defended its actions at the U.N. Security Council meet, stating that there is no war against Venezuela and insisting that it is not occupying the country.
03:50Meanwhile, Venezuelan acting President Delcey Rodriguez has emphasized her country's commitment to peace, sovereignty and international cooperation.
03:59And Rosali from Caracas in Venezuela continues to stay with us.
04:05Rosali, how do you see these developments of President Maduro being in U.S. custody?
04:10He was presented before the New York court and he pleaded not guilty.
04:14On the other hand, there's Donald Trump claiming that the Venezuelan leaders must do what the U.S. thinks is right.
04:23Well, right now, that's a really complex situation because in here we are under control of all the institutions by the Maduro Regiment.
04:40So even though Nicolás Maduro right now left the country, is in the hands of the American justice, that's not enough.
04:47So in here we have a lot of problems to deal with.
04:50For example, there is not only Maduro that has a great power.
04:54In here we have the Justado Cabello.
04:58Justado Cabello is a really important person who controls all the national security forces that has in charge of the repression here in our country.
05:08For example, Delcey Rodriguez, now the actual internet president,
05:14she also has a great power over the institutions right here in Venezuela.
05:20By the other hand, there's the Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino Lopez.
05:26He also rules and controls and maintains the dictatorship here in our country.
05:32So it's not only Nicolás Maduro.
05:35In here we live under, like we can call it like an octopus.
05:39There's not only the head, they have a lot of arms who controls and rules all the security and all the institutions right here in our country.
05:49So I don't think the Venezuelans can feel safe right now because it's not only Nicolás Maduro.
05:56Nicolás Maduro is also the weakest arm in that octopus.
06:01He wasn't the strongest one.
06:04Rosali, also help us understand how is the public sentiment after the U.S. airstrikes on Caracas
06:09and also the capturing of the President Maduro and his wife.
06:15Well, right now we are under the control of a security force that has named The Collective.
06:22That's a paramilitary group that belongs to civilians who have been armed.
06:31So that's the greatest concern for the Venezuelans right now.
06:38They feel that they cannot be joyful or they cannot feel secure and calm around this situation.
06:47So the population today lives a really complex anxiety and a state of uncertainty because they don't know what is really going to happen.
07:00I think that what has happened with Donald Trump has made immediate repression and consequences to the Venezuelans, not to external threats.
07:19So I think that unfortunately, Venezuelans are going to leave a long, long path in this journey.
07:26All right, Rosalia Hernandez, thank you so much for joining us on India Today.
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