From the Heritage Foundation, I'm Tim Desher, and this is Heritage Explains.

The citizens of Venezuela have seen better days.

The once wealthy, booming nation is now mired by extreme poverty,

caused by an out-of-control, bankrupt government,

being led by a socialist dictator named Nicholas Maduro.

Last week, at an event to honor the Venezuelan military, there was an explosion heard round the world.

Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro is safe this morning after what he calls an assassination attempt on him.

The president was speaking during a televised event where there was an explosion nearby.

Soldiers at the event scattered in panic, as you can see here.

While President Maduro claims it was an attempt on his life using explosive drones,

fire officials say it was merely a gas canister that exploded in a building a few blocks away.

Venezuela's president dodging what his supporters call an apparent assassination attempt during a speech broadcast on live television.

And President Nicholas Maduro now promising the maximum punishment for those responsible.

The Venezuelan government, the government says there was an assassination attempt against Nicholas Maduro, the country's leader. He's making a speech late Saturday at a military parade, and as he's saying, quote,

the hour of our economic recuperation has arrived, loud bang, everybody on stage flinches, ducks, watch this soldier,

and then soldiers lined up on the boulevard below all run for their lives.

But this alleged assassination attempt was immediately questioned and challenged by the international community.

Again, they're talking about all of this without really showing any evidence.

They haven't shown anything so far.

And it's the same pattern that we've seen before.

Something happens.

It is always the far right.

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