"This criminal gang acted not out of their noble ideals or nationalist principles of any kind, but as mercenaries receiving money from Miami from far-right groups close to the Venezuelan opposition, as well as from governments of foreign countries that carry out hostile and interventionist actions against the country," the ministry’s statement said.
Investigation showed that the attackers had initially planned to carry out the assault before the election to the country’s National Constituent Assembly, held on July 30, the statement added.
On Sunday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that the attack was carried out by "a group of civilian criminals wearing military uniform and by a defect lieutenant."
The Constituent Assembly was elected to rewrite the country's constitution, with the election held amid mass protests that had erupted in Venezuela in early April over the decision of the country's Supreme Court to curb the legislative powers of the National Assembly.
The Venezuelan opposition, as well as the European Union and the United States, among other countries, refused to recognize legitimacy of the Constituent Assembly.
