The government of President Nicolas Maduro announced on Feb. 12 it had thwarted a coup attempt organized by some military personnel. The plot planned to overthrow the president and carry out air attacks on government buildings and other locations.

A retired air force general and 11 others have been arrested for plotting to overthrow President Maduro, reports The Associated Press.

Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said two opposition politicians and a businessman were implicated. He also displayed photos of weapons and other items taken from the plotters.

Speaking on national television Thursday evening, President Maduro explained his government had thwarted an attempt to overthrow him in a plot that involved aircraft and military officers, according to El Universal.

“We have dismantled [the plot] on time. We made arrests yesterday, [and they] are prisoners. We are dismantling the rest. I call it a coup attempt because it did not succeed,” President Maduro said.

He explained a young officer had been given U.S. dollars and a mission to record a jailed officer, saying the plan had been orchestrated by the U.S. President Maduro added the officer possessed an American visa dated Feb. 3.

According to TeleSur, the plotters already had plans for a transitional government and planned to release a video with masked officers after the coup had been carried out. The plot was to be carried out in coordination with antigovernment protests on the anniversary of last year’s protests.

The plan had four stages, President Maduro explained. They included an economic assault to debilitate the economy, a political coup with officials turning against the government and ultimately a military coup. Military officers who had been approached to participate in the coup revealed the plan.

El Universal reports President Maduro also explained on his address the plotters planned to use at least one Tucano light attack aircraft to bomb the presidential palace, government buildings and the TeleSur offices.

President Maduro noted Venezuela’s Tucanos were undergoing maintenance and claimed the planes were to come from Colombia.

Cabello also stated, flanked by high-ranking government officers, the people should remain united during these times.

"There can be no doubt whatsoever. Our past and the history of this country requires us to be more united than before. Us chavistas should be more united to show the bourgeoisie that wants to end our people that will not succeed," Cabello said, adding that the armed forces backed the government.

To further emphasize the message, Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez reiterated the armed forces commitment to Venezuela on Twitter.

“The Bolivarian National Armed Forces remain resolute in their democratic beliefs and reject coup schemes that threaten the peace of the republic,” the tweet says.

“The Bolivarian National Armed Forces reiterates its unconditional support for out commander in chief Nicolas Maduro and remains side by side with the Venezuelan people,” Padrino Lopez’s second tweet says.

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