3 Americans, 2 Spaniards Arrested for Alleged Plot to ‘Destabilize’ Venezuela

Venezuela announced on Saturday that five foreign nationals, including three Americans, two Spaniards, and a Czech citizen, were detained on suspicion of plotting to destabilize the country. The Venezuelan government also accused the United States of involvement, a claim that Washington strongly denied.

The arrests occurred amid rising tensions between Venezuela and both the U.S. and Spain following Venezuela’s disputed July 28 presidential election. The opposition accuses President Nicolas Maduro of manipulating the election to secure victory.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that the individuals were detained on suspicion of planning an attack on President Maduro and his government, adding that “the U.S. government has links to this operation.” He said two Spaniards were detained in Puerto Ayacucho, while three Americans and a Czech national were also arrested. Cabello connected the alleged plot to intelligence agencies in the U.S. and Spain, as well as to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

The State Department responded by categorically denying any involvement in a plot against Maduro, while confirming the detention of one U.S. military member and noting reports of two additional Americans being held. Cabello claimed the detainees had contacted mercenaries from France and Eastern Europe and were plotting terrorist acts, with more than 400 rifles reportedly seized.

Spain and the Czech Republic have not yet responded to the accusations. The tension between Venezuela and Spain has intensified since opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia fled to Spain to avoid arrest. Caracas recently recalled its ambassador to Spain and summoned Spain’s envoy for talks after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship.”

The U.S. also imposed new sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials, including electoral authority members, for obstructing the election and failing to release accurate results. Venezuela condemned the sanctions as an “act of aggression,” and Maduro decorated military officers targeted by the measures.

Maduro’s disputed claim to a third term in office has led to widespread protests, resulting in at least 27 deaths and nearly 200 injuries. The opposition asserts that its candidate, Gonzalez Urrutia, won by a landslide and has called for further demonstrations to demand international recognition of his victory. Maduro, who took power in 2013 after Hugo Chavez’s death, has faced accusations of election fraud before and has clung to power with military and institutional support despite international sanctions. His presidency has coincided with a severe economic collapse, driving millions of Venezuelans to emigrate.