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PoliticsVenezuela

Venezuela minister: US, Spanish, Czech citizens detained

September 15, 2024

Venezuela's Interior Minister said the country had detained three Americans, two Spaniards and one Czech national. He alleged they were plotting "violent acts" to destablize the government after disputed elections.

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This handout picture released by Venezuela's Interior and Justice Ministry shows Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello giving a press conference on September 14, 2024 in Caracas. There, he annoiunced the arrest of three American citizens, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen on suspicion of plotting to destabilize the country through "violent actions," the government said, adding that hundreds of weapons had been seized.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello made the announcement, as Venezuela's government argues with the US and Spain over the legitimacy of disputed elections late in JulyImage: Venezuela Ministry of Interior/AFP

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told a press conference in Caracas on Saturday that Venezuela had arrested three American citizens, two Spanish nationals and a person from the Czech Republic, alleging a multinational plot to overthrow the government. 

The arrests come amid severe tensions between Venezuela, Spain and the US, following July 28's disputed presidential election that Caracas says was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro.

What did the minister allege? 

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that the six were arrested on suspicion of planning to "destablize" Venezuela through "violent actions." 

He posed in front of a large number of firearms during the press conference, saying that "more than 400" had been seized originating in the US.

"We know that the United States government has links to this operation," Cabello asserted.

This handout picture released by Venezuela´s Interior and Justice Ministry shows Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello giving a press conference on September 14, 2024 in Caracas. In the foreground, a number of firearms on display in front of his speaker's podium can be seen.
Cabello made the announcement standing in front of a large number of firearms which he said originated in the USImage: Venezuela Ministry of Interior/AFP

He said that the two Spanish citizens were recently arrested in southwestern Venezuela, in Puerto Avacucho. 

Cabello alleged that the Americans and the Czech national had also been linked to the supposed plot, which he said involved American and Spanish intelligence agencies as well as Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado

"They contacted French mercenaries, they contacted mercenaries from Eastern Europe and they are in an operation to try to attack our country," he said. 

US confirms one service member in custody, Spain issues query

Cabello gave comparatively few details during his press conference and international responses were fairly slow to follow publicly. 

A few hours after his announcement, a US State Department spokesperson said in Washginton's first response that "a US military member" had been detained in Venezuela, and the US was aware of reports of two more citizens in custody there. The State Department also called the allegations of a plot to overthrow Maduro "categorically false." 

The Reuters news agency quoted a Spanish Foreign Ministry source as saying that Madrid had reached out to seek more information and access to the supposed prisoners.

"The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens in order to verify their identities and their nationality and in order to know what they are accused of exactly," Reuters quoted the source as saying. 

Tensions high after disputed election

Venezuela's leftist government frequently accuses the US, in particular, but also sometimes other foreign forces of plots to overthrow or otherwise sabotage it. 

But tensions are higher than usual at present in the aftermath of a disputed election in late July, where both the US and Spain do not recognize the government's claim to victory.

Public protests led by the opposition have also been common in Venezuela since the vote.

Spain's decision to grant opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia political asylum last week further angered the government in Caracas, which also recalled its Spanish ambassador on Thursday

In this handout photograph taken and released by the Spanish Prime Minister's office La Moncloa on September 12, 2024, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L) meets with Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid.
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez held talks with opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in Madrid earlier this weekImage: Fernando Calvo/La Monclosa/AFP

A day earlier, the US issued fresh sanctions against Venezuela, alleging election fraud

This year's vote is the third consecutive presidential election in Venezuela leading to a similar domestic and international standoff after what was officially classified as a narrow win for Maduro.

msh/km (AFP, Reuters)