Multiple explosions heard in Venezuela’s Capital. Maduro accuses the U.S.

The Venezuelan government is accusing the U.S. of causing multiple explosions and fires that were reported around Caracas overnight. It is not immediately clear what caused the blasts. Videos circulating on social media platforms and first-person accounts indicate the explosions began at around 2 am local time (1 am EST.)

In a post on Telegram the government reacted swiftly and sternly: “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects, condemns, and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current Government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and population, targeting civilian and military locations in the city of Caracas, the capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. This act constitutes a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations”

The Pentagon referred all questions to the White House.

The explosions come as the United States has been increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro, who the Trump administration accuses of leading a drug cartel dubbed Los Soles v— The Suns — Cartel. Since late August the U.S. has sent aircraft carriers and warships to the Caribbean. The U.S. military has struck dozens of small boats it says were transporting drugs to the U.S. At least 105 people have been killed in at least 35 known strikes on the small vessels.

A journalist in Caracas reports waking to two explosions that hit the La Carlota military airport in front of her home. She could see two fires on the runway that were quickly extinguished. Immediately following the explosions, she reports hearing similar detonations in other parts of the city and then planes flying low around the city for at least an hour. Relatives have sent videos — which NPR cannot verify — showing multiple explosions in different parts of the metropolitan area, including the military base near the Presidential Palace Miraflores.

Maduro had accused the U.S. of trying to remove him from power to gain access to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, among the largest in the world.