Venezuelan Armed Forces Repel Anti-Government Attack; capitalist attacks continue 

"Following the terrorist attack on Fort Paramacay, defense plans and troops were deployed to ensure internal security," he said over Twitter.

Cabello assured the people that there was "absolute normalcy in the rest of the military units of the country," emphasizing that anyone who dreamt otherwise would have to deal with the morality of the Bolivarian military.

In a communique issued by the FANB, it explained that there had been an attack on the 41st Armored Brigade, which was led by a group made up of "civilian delinquents in military uniforms and a first lieutenant who had deserted," adding that "the terrorist operation was repelled and arrests made, including the first lieutenant."

The statement said that "the terrorist operation included the release of a video by a junior official that over three years ago was removed from the armed forces, accused of treason and rebellion, who then fled the country and received protection in Miami, United States."

The FANB said that those captured have "confessed to having been contracted by the states of Zulia, Lara and Yaracuy by far right Venezuelan activists in connection with foreign governments."

"Today's terrorist attack is nothing but a propaganda show, a pipedream, a desperate move that is part of destabilization and conspiracy plans," the statement added.

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"The FANB remains strong, united in its democratic convictions with high morale; and supports unconditionally citizen Nicolas Maduro Moros, constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and our commander in chief, as well as his constituent initiative and the Bolivarian Revolution as a project that seeks to consolidate the homeland, free, sovereign and independent," the statement concluded, calling for all women and men to unite to build a country based on "justice, cooperation and understanding."

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez also tweeted early in the morning, "They could not deal with the FANB, with their morale nor with their constitutional conscience, so now (they) intend to attack it with terrorist attacks. They won't be able to!!!"

Since April, Venezuela has seen opposition forces organize violent protests — leading to over 100 deaths and thousands of injuries — in their attempts to oust democratically-elected President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelans officials, including Maduro, have accused the right-wing of working closely with international players like the United States to destabilize the country to induce external interference and military intervention.

Venezuela's government has strongly rejected the resolution adopted by the countries from the so-called triple alliance that make up the Common Market of the South, Mercosur, after they voted to suspend Caracas from the trade bloc for an indefinite period.

"Venezuela warns the peoples of the world about the gross interference of those who twist legal ways to provoke erratic interventions, in violation of the most basic principles of international law," said a statement read by the Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.

Arreaza also attributed the measure to "nefarious anti-integrationist interests (which) have made Mercosur an organ of political persecution against Venezuela."

He stressed that the application of the Protocol of Ushuaia, or “democratic clause”, is unjustified. "Nothing and nobody can suspend us from Mercosur, Venezuela is Mercosur."

"Nothing and nobody can suspend Venezuela from the heart of Mercosur, Venezuela is Mercosur!"

Arreaza reiterated this was the second time in less than a year that leaders have tried to suspend Venezuela from Mercosur.

He said the organization is biased because the Protocol of Ushuaia should apply to Brazil, a nation with an unelected president in Michel Temer, who came to power after he led an impeachment process to push out his legitimate predecessor, Dilma Rousseff.

Foreign Ministers from the Common Market of the South, Mercosur, earlier decided to apply the clause suspending Venezuela from the regional bloc.

The announcement was made during a meeting in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, to discuss political turmoil between the Venezuelan government and the right-wing opposition.

At the talks, Brazil's Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes said political suspension does not imply expulsion or the application of economic sanctions, because they are not included in the Protocol of Ushuaia.

The group said the administration of President Nicolas Maduro was suspended for “breaking the democratic order” after it went ahead with the National Constituent Assembly election.

Maduro later criticized the decision during an interview with Argentina's Radio Rebelde.

"Venezuela will not be taken out of Mercosur, ever. We are Mercosur from our soul, heart and life," Maduro said.

He also denounced Mercosur's double standards and obsession with criticizing Venezuela.

"Some coup-promoting oligarchies like Brazil or miserable ones like the one that governs Argentina could try it a thousand times, but we will always be there," Maduro said.

Brazil's Workers' Party Senators issued a communique denouncing the move, "There was no rupture of the democratic order in Venezuela. The convocation of the Constituent Assembly by the president of the republic is clearly and explicitly stated in article 348 of the Constitution of Venezuela. In addition, such a call represents a commitment to the solution of the internal conflict of that country by the most democratic means known: popular vote, something that the no vote, coup government in Brazil is incapable of valuing."

"Finally," the statement concluded, "the (PT Senators) send a fraternal and solidarity embrace to the people of Venezuela, hoping that all political forces will do their best in the essential search for dialogue, peace and harmony."

The Communist Party of Uruguay has expressed its concern over Venezuela's suspension.

It has issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their right to determine their "inalienable right to peace, democracy and freedom".

And it also said its members are "conscious of the historical moment we live in the world and the region, which is a crisis of capitalism and against the offensive of imperialism, with fraternity and firmness, we say that we do not share at all the position assumed by our government."