According to the Venezuelan leader, nobody was killed or injured in the fire and PDVSA workers have already stopped the gas leak.
"Today we suffered a terrorist attack on the eastern gas pipeline that caused a huge fire that at this time is already controlled by the workers of Petroleos de Venezuela," Maduro said during a Saturday address broadcast on YouTube.
An alleged video from the scene showing the fire was shared on social media.
FUGAS DE GAS. Aunque digan que son atentados o saboteo los eventos con gas explosiones de tuberías y/o bombonas así como fugas se han incrementado en toda Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/Plb4PACiQO
— ANZOATEGUI_mio (@ANZOATEGUI_mio) January 23, 2021
Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of organizing attacks on communications, energy, and oil and gas facilities in Venezuela. According to the president, western sanctions introduced against Venezuela and targeting the country's state-run oil and gas company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and its subsidiaries are an attempt to seize its foreign assets and prevent the firm from completing transactions.
In 2018, Venezuela held presidential elections in which Maduro won. The US did not recognize him as legitimate president and introduced a series of sanctions against the Latin American country that affected mostly the oil industry.
