By The U.S. State Department has said any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro were “categorically false,” after the arrest of three Americans, two Spanish citizens, and a Czech citizen on Saturday.
According to the Venezuelan government, the group was arrested on suspicion of plotting to destabilize the country through “violent actions,” adding that hundreds of weapons had been seized.
CBS News reports that the Venezuelan government identified the men detained on Saturday in an online video.
One of them was identified as an American Navy sailor detained in the country earlier this month while visiting for personal reasons.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed the detention of a member of the US military.
Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia leads a demonstration against the official election results that declared that President Nicolas Maduro won reelection in Caracas, Venezuela, July 30, 2024 (Associated Press)
The sailor, a petty officer first class and former Navy SEAL, was assigned to a West Coast team, officials, including a senior member of the Defense Department told CBS.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said in a press conference that the two Spaniards were allegedly linked to Spain’s secret service and were plotting the assassination of a mayor.
Cabello further accused the detained Americans and the Czech citizen of involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials. He claimed these plots were connected to intelligence agencies and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
“They contacted French mercenaries, they contacted mercenaries from Eastern Europe, and they are in an operation to try to attack our country,” Cabello said.
In this photo provided by the Spanish government in Madrid, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, left greets exiled Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Thursday Sept. 12, 2024. (Fernando Calvo, Spanish Government via AP)
In addition to the U.S. State Department’s denial, Spanish media reported that Spain’s government also rejected the allegations made against its citizens.
Tensions with both Spain and the U.S. have been high after Venezuela’s disputed presidential election in July. “These groups seek to seize the country’s wealth, and we, as a government, will respond firmly to any destabilization attempt,” Cabello said.
He further claimed that about 400 rifles, originating from the U.S., had been seized.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho, Cabello said.
“These citizens have links — we know they will deny it and claim it’s a lie — but they have links with the center,” Cabello said, referring to Spain’s intelligence unit.
He added: “Spain will decide what to do, if it is going to keep meddling in Venezuela’s affairs.”
This week, Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Spain for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to the foreign ministry, after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship.” These escalated diplomatic tensions following the disputed presidential election.
The Maduro regime was also angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s decision to meet with Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announces foreigners are being held on suspicion of trying to destabilise the country, and displays weapons seized by authorities, in Caracas on 14 September, 2024. Photo: AFP/ handout from Venezuela’s Interior and Justice Ministry.
Already strained relations with the U.S. worsened after the Biden administration recognized Gonzalez as the winner of the July 28 election.
In addition, at the beginning of September, a plane belonging to Maduro was seized by the US and brought to Florida. The Justice Department said the jet was exported from Florida in violation of US sanctions.
Maduro, a former bus driver, succeeded the iconic left-wing leader Hugo Chávez after his death in 2013. He insists he won a third term but failed to release detailed voting tallies to back his claim.
Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado holds a rally ahead of the presidential primary in October.
