In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the Venezuelan government has announced the detention of three American citizens, along with two Spaniards and a Czech national, on suspicion of plotting to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and sabotage the country. The arrests were disclosed by Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello on Saturday, September 14.
According to Cabello, the detainees were allegedly involved in a conspiracy to destabilize the Venezuelan government through violent means. The minister claimed that the plot was orchestrated with the assistance of the CIA and Spain’s intelligence agency, the CNI. Spanish and Czech media sources have yet to confirm these details.
Cabello stated that the two Spaniards were apprehended in Puerto Ayacucho, a city in southwestern Venezuela. He asserted that the detained individuals were seeking mercenaries to carry out their plan, which purportedly had the “very clear objective” of assassinating President Maduro. The Venezuelan government has also seized over 400 rifles purportedly linked to the United States, which it alleges were intended for use in “terrorist acts.”
The Interior Minister further claimed that the detained Americans and Czech national had connections to U.S. and Spanish intelligence agencies, as well as Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. These allegations have not yet been addressed by officials in the United States, Spain, or the Czech Republic.
The detentions come amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Venezuela and the international community. Relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have been strained for years, and recent disagreements over Venezuela’s controversial July presidential election have exacerbated the situation. The opposition accuses President Maduro of electoral fraud after he failed to provide detailed vote tallies supporting his victory over challenger Edmundo González.
The Venezuelan government’s latest claims add a new layer of complexity to the already fraught geopolitical landscape, as it navigates accusations of external interference and internal dissent. As the situation develops, the international community awaits responses from the implicated countries and further details from the Venezuelan authorities.
Sources By Agencies
