CARACAS, Venezuela, May 9 (UPI) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Sunday his forces foiled a plot to kill or overthrow him by capturing about 50 Colombian paramilitaries.
Chavez claimed the men had been trained by Venezuela's political opposition, the BBC reported. Opposition leaders say Chavez is only attempting to discredit them.
The announcement adds to the rising political tension in Venezuela as the opposition hopes to unseat Chavez in an upcoming referendum.
The government said its forces arrested 56 Colombians in a dawn raid at a farm on the outskirts of the capital, Caracas.
Venezuelan security officials say the men were planning an attack on a military installation in Caracas. The officials said the farm the Colombians used as a base belongs to a Cuban exile with close links to Venezuela's opposition.
Chavez said the discovery is clear evidence his opponents are trying to assassinate him.
