Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest of six foreign nationals on Saturday, accusing them of involvement in a plot to overthrow the government and assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated during a press conference that the alleged conspiracy was orchestrated with the backing of intelligence services from the United States and Spain. He further revealed that over 400 weapons had been confiscated in connection with the operation.
A total of 14 individuals have been detained, including three U.S. citizens, two Spaniards, and a Czech national, according to Cabello. The arrests are tied to what the minister described as a scheme to destabilize Venezuela through acts of violence, targeting Maduro and his administration.
While Cabello did not specify the exact timing of the arrests, he attributed the operation to the CIA and Spain’s National Intelligence Centre (CNI), citing reports from Spanish media.
Search for mercenaries
Cabello disclosed that two Spaniards were recently detained in Puerto Ayacucho, in the country’s southwest, where they were allegedly seeking to recruit mercenaries. He claimed the group was aiming to hire French and Eastern European operatives to carry out an assassination attempt on Maduro.
“We know the U.S. government is linked to this operation,” Cabello alleged, adding that the group had been in contact with mercenaries from Eastern Europe and had sought French involvement in the plan.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed that a U.S. military member was among those detained in Venezuela. However, the spokesperson denied any involvement by the U.S. government in a plot to overthrow Maduro and stated that they were working to gather more details about the arrests.
Spain denies involvement
The Spanish government swiftly rejected Venezuela’s accusations. Sources within the government, speaking to the EFE news agency, stated that the two Spanish nationals detained, Andrés Martinez Adasme and José María Basoa Valdovinos, were not connected to Spanish intelligence services.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Sunday, affirming that the detainees had no affiliation with the CNI or any other state organization. Spain remains committed to a peaceful and democratic resolution to Venezuela’s political crisis, government sources said.
Family members of the two Spaniards, quoted in Spanish media, said the men were tourists from Bilbao with no ties to intelligence services.
Venezuela doubles down on claims
In response to Spain’s denials, Cabello reiterated Venezuela’s position, stating that it was “predictable” that Madrid would distance itself from the alleged plot. He claimed the two detainees had confessed to being part of Spanish intelligence, asserting that they had admitted their involvement in the plan against Maduro.
“Spain will naturally deny it,” Cabello said, adding that the individuals had acknowledged their participation in the operation and had connections to political groups in Venezuela, criminal organizations, and U.S. military personnel.
Cabello identified a U.S. officer, Wilber Josep Castañeda, as the leader of the operation. Castañeda was reportedly arrested in Venezuela on September 1.
Opposition leader implicated
Venezuelan authorities also implicated opposition figure María Corina Machado in the plot. According to Cabello, Machado, a prominent supporter of exiled opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, was one of the key architects of the alleged scheme.
González Urrutia, a former presidential candidate, has been in exile in Spain since September 8, where he has requested asylum, citing political persecution in Venezuela.
The United States, European Union, and several Latin American nations, including Brazil, have refused to recognize Maduro’s re-election in the July presidential elections.
