CARACAS, Venezuela – A Venezuelan military court sentenced five members of the Venezuelan military and three civilians Wednesday after convicting them of participating in a 2015 plot to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, human rights activists say.
According to the Foro Penal, a prominent non-governmental organization, Pedro Mauri, Luis Colmenares, Jesus Salazar, Petter Moreno, Carlos Esqueda, Luis Lugo, Ricardo Antich and Henry Salazar were accused of being involved in the alleged "Blue Strike" operation.
Venezuelan prosecutors claim the U.S. government was funding the alleged operation to bomb the Miraflores presidential palace and other government buildings in Caracas.
The U.S. State Department denied Maduro's accusation.
Venezuelan authorities reported dismantling the coup February 2015.
