CARACAS (Reuters) – Two Spaniards, three Americans and one Czech national have been arrested in Venezuela for allegedly plotting to destabilize the South American country, a senior Venezuelan official said on Saturday.
A State Department spokesman said the U.S. was aware of unconfirmed reports that “U.S. military personnel” had been detained in Venezuela and that two other Americans were being held, but denied Venezuela’s claims that the U.S. was involved in a plot to overthrow the government.
Venezuela’s announcement is likely to deepen already heightened tensions between the country and Spain and the United States following a dispute over the outcome of Venezuela’s presidential elections in July.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said at a press conference that the two Spaniards had ties to Spanish intelligence and were suspected of plotting to assassinate the mayor.
Spanish media reported that the Spanish government denied the allegations.
Cabello also accused three Americans and a Czech national of engaging in terrorist acts, including plots to assassinate President Maduro and other government officials.
“These groups are trying to seize the country’s wealth and the government will respond firmly to any attempts at destabilization,” Cabello said, adding that about 400 US-made rifles had been seized.
The State Department said the United States was not involved in any attempt to oust Venezuelan leftist President Nicolas Maduro.
“The allegation that the United States is involved in a plot to overthrow the Maduro regime is completely false,” the spokesman said. “The United States continues to support a democratic solution to Venezuela’s political crisis.”
“We are seeking additional information and are closely monitoring the situation,” the official added, declining to provide further details citing privacy considerations.
A Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters the Spanish government was seeking more information from Venezuela.
“The Spanish embassy has written verbally to the Venezuelan government, requesting to meet with the detained nationals to confirm their identities and nationalities and to find out what specific crimes they are accused of,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Cabello said the two men, both Spanish nationals, were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho.
“These nationals have links to the central government. They will say that’s a lie, but they have links to the central government,” Cabello said, referring to Spain’s intelligence services.
“If Spain continues to interfere in Venezuela’s affairs, it will be Spain’s decision on what to do.”
Venezuela this week recalled its ambassador to Spain for consultations and asked him to appear before the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship” and diplomatic tensions rose following a disputed presidential election.
Venezuela is also outraged by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s decision to meet with Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who fled to Spain last week after receiving threats of arrest from the Maduro regime.
Caracas is also facing new tensions with the United States, which recognized opposition candidate Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of a July 28 election.
