Several residents of Caracas shared their opinion on Thursday about the failed operation that took place on the Venezuelan coast on Sunday by a group of 'mercenaries,' allegedly supported by the United States, to try to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

Rebecca Saurith, a local resident, said, "In Venezuela, we fully and really know what the United States wants from us. They do not want the people. They want oil, they want coltan, they want gold, they want diamonds" and stated that the American leader Donald Trump "behaves like a whimsical child, he believes that we are going to give up and give him what he wants, but no."

Fernando Balan, another inhabitant of Caracas, explained that the US "[does] not want to capture Maduro, nor capture Diosdado [Cabello], nor capture me. They want the resources, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get those resources. And so do we. We are willing to do whatever it takes to defend those resources that are ours."

Last Sunday, a maritime incursion into Venezuelan territory was reportedly stopped by government forces. Among those detained are at least two US citizens who were acting as alleged 'mercenaries' employed by US company Silvercorp, according to available reports.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has denied his country was involved in this operation.