The crisis between Venezuela and several countries in the international community has taken a new turn with the statements made on Saturday, September 14 by Caracas, which accuses the United States in particular of being involved in a plot against the country’s authorities.
American diplomacy was quick to reject these accusations. “categorically false” in a “tangle” American in a “conspiracy” addressed to “shed” President Nicolás Maduro. A State Department spokesman said he was informed of the “detention” through Caracas of a “American military” and mentioned “Unconfirmed information on the arrest of two other US citizens”.
During the day, Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest of three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech, all accused of being linked to a plot against the government, also reporting the seizure of some 400 rifles from the United States. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello spoke at a press conference of an alleged plan to “generate violence” AND “destabilize” the country.
Deterioration of relations with Spain
According to him, President Nicolás Maduro, whose re-election on July 28 is contested by the opposition and part of the international community, was the target of this alleged plan, along with other executive officials.
“Two Spanish citizens were recently arrested in Puerto Ayacucho”he said, adding that a “American citizen” He was also behind bars. He later reported the arrest of two other Americans, as well as a Czech.
The more than 400 rifles seized were intended “Terrorist acts here in Venezuela, terrorism encouraged by political sectors”said. “We even know that the American government is linked to this operation”.
Cabello linked the alleged plot to Spanish and US intelligence services, as well as opposition leader María Corina Machado. “They have contacted French mercenaries, they have contacted Eastern European mercenaries and they are carrying out an operation to try to attack our country.”he said, adding that the detainees were in the process of confessing.
Diplomatic relations between Caracas and Madrid have deteriorated significantly since Thursday and the statements of the Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, who called Venezuela “dictatorship”These statements coincided with the reception by the head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, of the Venezuelan opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, who arrived in Spain on Sunday after fleeing Venezuela, where he was the subject of an arrest warrant.
US sanctions against Caracas
Spain, like the rest of the Member States of the European Union (EU), demands the full publication of the minutes issued by the polling stations after the presidential elections, something that the Venezuelan authorities did not do, claiming that they had been victims of computer hacking.
The global application
The morning of the world
Every morning, find our selection of 20 articles not to be missed
Download the app
The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the winner of the vote, with 52% of the votes. But the opposition claims, based on the minutes provided by its scrutineers, that Edmundo González Urrutia obtained more than 60% of the votes. In the absence of complete results, the EU countries have so far refused to recognize a winner.
The United States announced sanctions on Thursday against sixteen people close to Maduro for “impediment” during the presidential elections. Caracas immediately rejected “with the greatest firmness” these measures. On Friday, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino assured that the Armed Forces – one of the essential cogs of power – were not “corruptible” and they did not leave “intimidated by the imperial scourge” American.
