Hugo Chavez's security services claim "overwhelming evidence" of CIA-planned assassination

The Venezuelan media is reporting that President Hugo Chavez's sudden decision to cancel a planned trip to Washington (DC) and New York, where he was to deliver a speech to the United Nations, was caused by the discovery of "overwhelming evidence" the US government was planning to shoot down his aircraft enroute.

The Venezuelan security service, known by its Spanish-language acronym "DIM" (Military Intelligence Directorate) is claiming that they have evidence that the CIA was tasked with the assassination and that the plan was in place to shoot the presidential aircraft down sometime during the flight from Caracas to the United States.

Sources inside DIM told VHeadline.Com that "presented with overwhelming evidence of Washington's planned attack on the Presidential flight, it was decided that the President's personal security was preeminent and that he should not go!"

The startling accusations follow a very violent weekend in which the Casa Militar barracks, which is located across the avenue from the Miraflores Presidential Palace, was attacked with grenades. The explosions took place around 0100, and President Chavez was reported to be working at his desk at the time, but was unhurt.

In addition, some 60 military and police were involved in a gun battle with a person suspected of being involved in the attack. The suspect, identified by his last names, Rojas Rivera, was eventually detained and placed in custody, but not after exchanging gunfire along with other persons identified by local authorities as "former army officers" who had allegedly been dismissed from military service for being involved in the failed 2002 coup against Chavez.

FMI: www.venezuela.gov.ve (Spanish language government web site)