Maduro issues Christmas gift warning

The Venezuelan leader has pointed to recent pager blasts in Lebanon, while urging caution for the upcoming festive period

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has warned members of his government against accepting electronic devices as Christmas presents.

Maduro’s comments at a meeting on Venezuelan culture in Caracas on Friday followed a series of deadly explosions involving communications equipment in Lebanon last week.

”Do not accept electronic gifts… be careful with telephones, cellphones, be careful everyone,” the president said during a speech broadcast on national television.

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“You've seen what happened in Lebanon, everyone should be on alert,” he added.

Artisanal handicrafts, books and traditional Venezuelan products like coffee and rum could be given instead, Maduro suggested.

The mass detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon last week left at least 37 people dead and some 3,000 injured. Israeli intelligence is widely suspected of having orchestrated the attacks, which targeted the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Maduro won a third consecutive term as president of Venezuela at an election in July. According to the National Electoral Council, Maduro garnered 52% of the vote. The opposition, however, has accused Caracas of rigging the polls.

The US, along with the EU and several other countries have backed opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in refusing to recognize Maduro’s victory.

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