NICOLAS MADURO: ... Now, a year ago, it will be a year in August, there was the attempt. I can tell you that today I have proof that the assassination attempt was ordered by John Bolton in the White House.
MAX BLUMENTHAL: You're saying John Bolton personally commanded an assassination attempt against you?
NICOLAS MADURO: And he waited for the results in the White House. If you dig deeper, you'll see it someday. The proof will come out how John Bolton, in coordination with then Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. And they gave the task to Julio Borges, a former legislator in Venezuela.
We have testimony, we have witnesses, proof. All the material authors of this assassination attempt by drone were captured. Some of the operational and intellectual authors were captured. And it all points to Julio Borges in Bogotá. It all points to Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia. All of it. All the logistics, the institutional support, technical assistance, support from Colombian intelligence. It all points to John Bolton, who has a criminal mentality, a murderer's mentality.
We survived that day.
MAX BLUMENTHAL: Jaime Bayly said the plot emanated from Miami.
NICOLAS MADURO: Correct. The intellectual authors, the financiers, and the people who directed the operations via video conferences, they live in Miami. They are protected by the US government and are part of the networks established by the White House - in this case, by John Bolton.
I can't accuse President Trump, I can't do it at this time, but I do have all the evidence to accuse and ask for a landmark investigation into John Bolton. A criminal. He's a criminal. He failed.
What went through my head at the time? I was focused on the speech I was giving. I thought it was nothing, I didn't think it was an assassination attempt.
After, my security personnel protected me and the second drone exploded. That's when I realized it was an assassination attempt. At the time I was worried about the safety and life of the families, the soldiers there.
Fortunately they dispersed because more bombs could have come. There were seven injured among the troops there.
Later, when I withdrew from there, my mind was focused on the people and their worries. That's why I was quick to speak after, because I knew the people were worried. They wanted to know what happened.
I'm a man of faith. I believe in God very much. A man of action and prayer, a Christian. I believe that there was an event that day, that God saved our lives.
Because they planned it to perfection, with so much evil, to assassinate us. And Venezuela would have entered a new phase - the revolution would have been radicalized. You can be sure of that, Max.
The revolution would have gone from the phase we've been in for 20 years, into a more radical phase, a deeper one. A stage of armed revolution. It would have backfired.
Thank God and our good fortune, we are alive and triumphant. More triumphant than ever.
Full transcript available on The Grayzone.
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