Nicolas Maduro was in Cojedes to watch army drills, which he says show Venezuela’s military readiness against US threat

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A Venezuelan military helicopter crashed close to Caracas on Saturday , killing all seven people on board, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The helicopter was to fly from Caracas, the capital, to the west-central state of Cojedes when it “went to ground”, the statement said, adding that authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

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President Nicolas Maduro was in Cojedes on Saturday to watch a series of army drills, which, in televised speeches, he said demonstrated Venezuela’s military readiness against what he called the threat posed by the US.

Maduro accuses the US government of trying to foment a coup against him by backing opposition leader Juan Guaido, who denounces Maduro as illegitimate and has assumed a rival presidency.

“I profoundly regret this incident and express my heartfelt condolences to their relatives and friends,” Maduro said later on Twitter.