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Venezuela is claiming to have foiled a “false flag” attack targeting the US embassy in Caracas.

Getting into it: The claim was made during a televised broadcast by Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, who said his government uncovered a plot by what he described as extremist elements of the Venezuelan opposition to detonate an explosive device at the US embassy, which has been largely inactive since diplomatic ties were severed in 2019. Maduro stated that two highly credible sources (one national, one international) confirmed the plan, and that it was intended to provoke a crisis that could justify direct US intervention.

He claimed that the attack was coordinated as part of a wider destabilization strategy, and said his government had already shared specific intelligence with US authorities, including names of those involved, the times and locations of planning meetings, and other operational details. According to Maduro, this was a clear effort to trigger a broader confrontation and falsely pin responsibility on his administration, thereby setting the stage for a US-led escalation.

The alleged plot’s exposure comes amid an expanding US military presence in the Caribbean, which began in August as part of what the White House describes as a counter-narcotics campaign. The deployment includes warships, Navy submarines, air refuelers, and even F-35 fighter jets. Their presence has already led to four known strikes targeting alleged narco boats smuggling drugs. While the Trump administration insists these are targeted operations against “narco-terrorists,” Venezuelan officials have condemned them as extrajudicial killings designed to pave the way for regime change.

In response to all of this, Maduro has expressed alarm on the international stage that the US is seeking regime change in his country. As of yesterday, Venezuelan media claimed that Maduro wrote a letter to Pope Francis, appealing for the Catholic Church’s support in preventing a war between Venezuela and the US.

No comment from the Trump administration yet.