"Early today, a military unit was attacked in the south of the country by extremist opposition factions, with a large number of weapons stolen," the defense minister, General Vladimir Padrino, wrote on Twitter.

"It was in this terrorist attack that an army officer was killed," he said.

The assailants "received harmful cooperation from the government of (Brazil's right-wing President) Jair Bolsonaro," charged Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez.

Six people were arrested, Rodriguez said.

On December 14, Venezuela's socialist government accused two lawmakers of plotting a coup attempt against Maduro, with the alleged involvement of the opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized as interim president by some fifty countries.

According to Rodriguez, the plan, which included the taking of two barracks in the Sucre state, was part of an alleged conspiracy whose plotters wanted to extend to Caracas and other regions.

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