Caracas, May 5 (IANS): Venezuela's Foreign Ministry has blamed the US for attempting to unload mercenary groups onto the country's central coast that left eight dead and two arrested.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that several people were captured in the operation, including one individual who confessed to "being a veteran agent of the US Drug Enforcement Agency", reports Xinhua news agency

The statement said that "Venezuelan military deserters and a former member of the US Army Special Forces have taken responsibility for this failed operation".

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said on Sunday that "Colombian terrorist mercenaries" were also involved in the maritime invasion.

The alleged invaders were also planning to "murder of leaders of the revolutionary government, increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion among the population and thereby lead to a new attempted coup", he added.

But Colombia denied involvement in the incident.

In its statement on Monday, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry also noted that the operation "took place in the midst of a global pandemic, disregarding the call of the (UN) secretary-general for a cessation of hostilities in the world".