The diplomatic crisis between Spain and Venezuela is worsening. The Minister of the Interior of Venezuela, Diosdado Hairaccused Saturday afternoon the National Intelligence Center (NIC) Spanish to be “up to his neck” in a “destabilization operation” of Venezuela that would include “the physical elimination” of Nicolás Maduro and Delcy Rodríguez.
In a lengthy appearance before the media, Cabello did not hold back his accusations against the Spanish government, which he accuses of “Aspires to overthrow” the current Venezuelan presidentThese statements come after the Congress of Deputies this week asked the Spanish executive to recognize Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the elected President of Venezuela, and that the Minister of Defense, Marguerite Roblescalled Maduro’s regime a “dictatorship.”
The Venezuelan minister justifies the accusations against the Spanish government and its intelligence services by referring to information extracted from two detained Spanish citizens, identified as Jose Maria Basoa Valdovinos And Andrés Martinez AdasmeCabello said they were arrested while “in an irregular situation, taking photos” in Puerto Ayacucho, a tourist area and capital of the state of Amazonas.
José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme, detained in Venezuela
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The Spaniards, along with three Americans and a Czech, are among the 14 arrests that the Venezuelan Executive has made in the framework of this alleged conspiracy. The operation according to the regime would involve the purchase and distribution of 400 long guns -now seized-, riots and mass prison breaks, mercenaries, explosives attack the Argentine embassy (so that the international community blames Maduro), and sabotage of infrastructure energy, transport and water.
Cabello emphasizes that “at the forefront of this operation” is the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)supported by the Spanish CNI. Cabello appointed an active member of the US Navy SEAL special forces and an explosives expert as the main person in charge of the operation. Wilmer Jose Castanedaleader of a group called AZ Command.
Two Spaniards arrested
The two citizens of Basque origin currently under arrest had traveled to Caracas in mid-August and crossed the Colombian border on the 31st. Their families lost track of them on September 2nd when they were planning to return to Venezuela, and they learned of it today. who were arrested.
The Venezuelan Interior Minister said that both had relations with the CNI, a claim denied by Spanish government sources.
Cabello reported that the Spaniards had contacted Jessica Isabela Ponte Figuerawho participated in the post-election opposition protests, and “they ask him by phone how they go about buying explosives, how they go about contacting groups that want to do a particular job.” “In direct communication, they plan the assassination of the mayor of Upata (Yulisbeth Garcia), quoted verbatim. She is a revolutionary mayor,” he added.
“Direct links appear with America of Grazia And Carlos Chancellor. These gentlemen are being held and are offering information,” said Cabello, who also links them to Maria Teresa Clavijoa senior official of Vente Venezuela, the opposition party led by Maria Corina Machado.
The two Spaniards are “in detention, being interrogated, respecting what they do not respect in other countries, namely respect for human rights,” he stressed. Foreign Affairs, for its part, requested in a verbal note that the Venezuelan government grant access to the detainees and specify what they are accused of.
Accuse the CNI
Regarding the CNI, Cabello said that “Spanish intelligence promotes the recruitment of terrorists to come to Venezuela.” “They can say whatever they want. Their agents confess here in Venezuela,” he stressed. “It is not surprising that yesterday, the Minister of Defense (Margarita Robles) had a fit of anger against Venezuela during a book baptism,” he stressed.
Cabello stressed that “the Spanish National Intelligence Center is deeply involved in this operation and the plans include physical removal of the president (Maduro), the vice president (Delcy Rodriguez) and several officials “What is not in this plan is that we will triumph again and defeat him,” he said.
“They send very few soldiers and the rest are hired mercenaries. That’s why Spanish intelligence intervenes with the recruitment. We have the complete plan. Because they hit someone they shouldn’t have hit in this plan. We can’t say more because it would expose him,” he continued.
Relations with Spain
During his appearance, Cabello was asked about the possibility of breaking off relations with Spain in response to this operation, to which the minister responded by at least questioning them.
“The first thing they’re going to say from their National Intelligence Center: It’s a lie. We know it’s not a lie. Now, how do we achieve that? It’s not my responsibility, but we should ask ourselves How can we maintain relations with a government that aspires to overthrow another government?to a government that aspires to overthrow us,” he said.
In fact, he indicated that the two detained Spaniards “are talking about active participation, that they are part of a contingent of mercenaries, that the Spanish government, through its intelligence center, calls to attack our country.” “We will see what happens with the relations,” he said.
400 weapons seized
According to the minister, more than 400 weapons “transported from the United States” were seized during the operation, and some of them were intended take “a group of mercenaries” to Venezuela with the aim of assassinating Maduro, as well as the executive vice president, Delcy Rodriguezand other leaders of Chavismo.
Behind the arms “trafficking,” Cabello said, is the former police commissioner of Caracas. Ivan Simonoviswho – he assured – has “direct” links in Venezuela with the leaders of the majority opposition, among whom he mentioned María Corina Machado, the main supporter of the former presidential candidate. Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiaexiled since September 8 in Spain.
“They arrived in Venezuela in containers containing products such as dog food“They came unarmed and here they were received by groups who were responsible for arming them,” he explained.
“Among the detainees there are people who were found in his house between ten and twelve rifles “This would be used in these plans against the stability of the country,” he stressed. Two of them would also be American citizens: David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan.
The minister demanded that the US government, which – he reaffirmed – is “behind this operation”, clarify “the use of its territory for arms trafficking” in order to “overthrow a democratic government, elected by its people” in the presidential elections of July 28.
Explosive attacks
The plans also included an attack on the Argentine embassy in Caracas, where several Venezuelan opponents are taking refuge. “Imagine a bomb, an explosive (…). What was the Argentine embassy going to do, who was it going to point the finger at? Venezuela,” he said.
In the phones of the detainees, “mercenaries who came to Venezuela,” the authorities found “links to the purchase of C4 explosives for trigger prison rebellions and get out of prisons to take these weapons,” he assured.
The plan also included “Terrorist attacks” on water, electricity and transport facilitiesas well as computer attacks on state agency systems.
The minister mentioned Venezuelan opposition leaders who were allegedly aware of the plot: Juan Pablo Guanipa, Carlos Vecchio, Jules Borges and Maria Corina Machado. “They are linked here because these gentlemen admit their links with opposition groups. Justice will come back to them,” he warned.
After these elections, Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE), a result rejected by the opposition and the majority of the international community.
Venezuela, Cabello added, has been “constantly besieged by imperialism and its allies, who have no scruples of any kind and the Venezuelan state has had the obligation to make decisions to defend itself.”
