Venezuela arrests three US citizens for alleged “terrorist attacks”

Three US citizens have been arrested by the Venezuelan government on suspicion of plotting to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and committing acts of sabotage against the country. Alleged conspiracies continue to unfold in the region.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced on Saturday that three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen had been arrested on suspicion of planning an attack to “destabilize” Maduro and his government through “violent actions.” He added that the government had seized hundreds of weapons, Agence France Presse reported.

Cabello did not disclose when the six people were arrested, but claimed that “the CIA and also the Spanish CNI are responsible for this operation,” Spanish media reported.

He said the two Spaniards were recently arrested in Puerto Ayacucho in the southwest of the island and explained that those arrested were looking for mercenaries whose “very clear goal” was to assassinate Maduro.

“We know that the US government has ties to this operation,” Cabello said.

“They have made contact with French mercenaries, they have made contact with mercenaries from Eastern Europe and they are about to attack our country,” he continued, adding that “more than 400 rifles have been seized” from the United States.

He also accused the prisoners of planning “terrorist acts.”

Cabello said the three Americans and a Czech citizen were also arrested and were linked to the alleged plot, including intelligence agencies in the US and Spain and Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the news agency reported.

The United States, Spain and the Czech Republic have not yet responded to the allegations.

The arrests come amid growing tensions between the United States and Spain over Venezuela's disputed presidential election in July. The country's opposition accuses Maduro of electoral fraud for failing to release detailed vote tallies to support his claimed victory over Edmundo González.

Washington imposed sanctions on 16 of Maduro's Venezuelan allies on Thursday, accusing them of obstructing the election and preventing “a transparent electoral process” by not publishing accurate results.

The South American country rejected the measures as a “crime of aggression” and Maduro honored four military officers affected by the sanctions.

Caracas also recalled its ambassador from Madrid for consultations this week and summoned the Spanish ambassador from Venezuela for talks after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship,” the news agency reported.

Tensions also arise because Caracas is embroiled in a political power struggle with the United States, which has recognized González as the election winner.

Venezuela also expressed anger at Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's decision to meet with González and warned Spain against any “interference” in its affairs.