CARACAS, March 24. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said the country’s security forces have foiled a plan to assassinate him masterminded personally by the opposition’s leader Juan Guaido.

"The North American imperialism wants to kill me. We have just exposed a plan to kill me, which was personally led by the devil’s puppet [Guaido]," Maduro said, noting that the prosecutors had made serious progress in investigating this case and would soon start arresting "new terrorists."

Earlier this week, Venezuelan authorities arrested Roberto Marrero, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's chief of staff, on charges of organizing a terrorist cell and conspiring to assassinate politicians and military officials.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said that "combat weapons" and a large sum of money in foreign currencies was discovered when Marrero’s home was searched. The United States and the Lima Group countries condemned the politician’s arrest and the European Union demanded his immediate release.

Plot to kill Maduro

The attempt to kill the Venezuelan president with the use of drones took place as he was delivering a speech in the capital Caracas on August 4, 2018. The drones were shot down, but seven law enforcement officers were wounded. Maduro and senior officials of the country were not injured.

Maduro accused Venezuelan ultra-right in alliance with Colombian ultra-right, and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The Colombian Foreign Ministry dismissed Maduro’s accusations as absurd.

Several dozens of people were charged with the failed assassination attempt and many of them are behind bars.