Six foreigners arrested for ‘destabilisation’
TWO Spaniards, three United States citizens and a Czech have been arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of links to alleged plans to destabilise the South American country, a top Venezuela official said yesterday. A spokesperson for the US State Department said ‘‘a US military member’’ had been detained in Venezuela and that it was aware of unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens being detained there, but rejected a Venezuelan claim of US involvement in any plot to overthrow the government. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in a press conference said two Spaniards were allegedly linked to Spain’s secret service and planning the assassination of a mayor. Spanish media reported that Spain’s government denied this claim. Cabello also accused three US citizens and a Czech of involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged plans to assassinate leftist Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other officials. ‘‘These groups seek to seize the country’s wealth, and we as a government will respond firmly to any destabilisation attempt.’’
About 400 rifles originating in the United States had been seized.
The State Department said the US was not involved in an attempt to oust Maduro. ‘‘Any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false,’’ the spokesperson said. A Spanish foreign ministry source said it was asking Venezuela ‘‘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’’.
The Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho, Cabello said.
‘‘These citizens have links — we know they will say no, that it is a lie . . . with the centre,’’ he said, referring to Spain’s intelligence arm. ‘‘Spain will decide what to do, if it is going to keep meddling in Venezuela’s affairs.’’
Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Spain last week for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to appear at the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a ‘‘dictatorship’’.
Venezuela was also angered by the decision of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to meet with Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest by Maduro’s regime.
Caracas also has had fresh tensions with the United States, which recognised opposition candidate Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the July 28 election. — Reuters
We as a government will respond firmly to any destabilisation attempt