CARACAS, Sept 14 (Askume) – Two Spaniards, three U.S. citizens and a Czech have been arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of being involved in a plan to destabilise the South American country, a senior Venezuelan official said on Saturday.
A State Department spokesman said that “one U.S. service member” had been detained in Venezuela and that he was aware of unconfirmed reports that two other U.S. citizens had been detained, but he denied Venezuela’s claims that the United States was involved in any plot to overthrow the Venezuelan regime.
Venezuela’s announcement is likely to deepen already high tensions between the country and Spain and the United States in the wake of Venezuela’s disputed presidential election in July.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said at a news conference that two Spaniards allegedly linked to Spain’s secret service were planning to assassinate a mayor.
The Spanish government denied the claim, Spanish media reported.
Cabello also accused three US citizens and a Czech of involvement in terrorist activities, including an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro and other officials.
“These groups want to seize national assets, and as a government we will respond strongly to any attempt to destabilize the country,” Cabello said. He said about 400 rifles had been seized from the United States.
The US State Department says the United States is not involved in the effort to overthrow leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“Any suggestion that the United States is involved in a plot to overthrow Maduro is absolutely false,” the spokesperson said.
“We are seeking more information. We are closely monitoring the situation,” the official said, declining to provide further details due to privacy concerns.
A Spanish foreign ministry source told Askume that Spain was seeking more information from Venezuela.
“The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government requesting a meeting with the detained citizens to verify their identity and nationality and to find out exactly what they are accused of,” the source said, speaking anonymously.
Cabello said the Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the city of Puerto Ayacucho.
“These citizens have connections – and we know they won’t say it, it’s a lie – they have connections to the center,” Cabello said, referring to the Spanish intelligence services.
“If Spain continues to interfere in Venezuela’s affairs, it will decide what to do.”
Venezuela this week recalled its ambassador to Spain for consultations, summoning the Spanish ambassador to court after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of “running a dictatorship”, heightening diplomatic tensions following a disputed presidential election.
Venezuela is also angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s decision to meet with Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest by the Maduro regime.
There are also new tensions between Caracas and the United States, which has recognised opposition candidate González Urrutia as the winner of the July 28 election.
