US Denies CIA Role in Alleged Assassination Plot Against Maduro

The United States has strongly denied claims that the CIA was involved in a supposed plot to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This denial comes after Venezuelan authorities arrested several foreign nationals, including three Americans, accusing them of being part of the conspiracy.

 

Alleged Assassination Plot

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, in a broadcast on state television, alleged that the group of arrested foreigners, which included a member of the US Navy, was part of a CIA-backed effort to overthrow Maduro’s government and target key leaders for assassination. He also displayed images of rifles allegedly confiscated from the suspects.

In response, the US State Department acknowledged being aware of “unconfirmed reports” regarding the detention of two additional US citizens in Venezuela but firmly rejected the claims. “Any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false,” a State Department spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the US continues to support a democratic resolution to Venezuela’s political crisis.

 

Venezuela’s Disputed Elections

The accusations come in the wake of US sanctions against 16 Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro, who were accused of obstructing the voting process and committing human rights violations during the highly controversial presidential election on July 28.

In a move that further escalated tensions, Spain’s parliament recently recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the legitimate winner of the election, sparking outrage among Maduro’s supporters and calls to suspend diplomatic relations with Spain.

The election has led to growing friction between Venezuela and the US, as well as increased domestic unrest. The Venezuelan electoral council declared Maduro the winner with 52% of the vote, but opposition groups, who had gathered tally sheets from 80% of voting machines, asserted that Gonzalez had received double the votes cast for Maduro.

Despite international criticism, Venezuela’s supreme court upheld Maduro’s victory in August, leading to conspiracy charges against Gonzalez, who later fled to Spain. Maduro has rejected calls from countries like Colombia and Brazil to release detailed election results and has repeatedly accused the US of attempting to undermine his government through sanctions and covert actions.