A Venezuelan court on Tuesday sentenced an opposition ex-MP and 16 others to jail terms of up to 30 years for an alleged exploding drone attack against President Nicolas Maduro in 2018.
The former lawmaker, Juan Requesens, was sentenced to eight years in jail “for the crime of conspiracy,” his lawyer Joel Garcia said on Twitter after Tuesday’s hearing.
Sentences for the other 16 ranged from five to 30 years on charges of terrorism, criminal association, murder, treason and detonating an explosive in public.
Twelve of the accused received the highest sentence.
Sentencing came exactly four years after two drones packed with explosives flew towards Maduro as he addressed a military parade in Caracas and blew up, injuring seven soldiers.
The president claimed an attempted “assassination”, and 30 people including serving generals and Requesens were arrested in the aftermath.