Venezuela says US Navy SEAL among foreigners arrested in alleged CIA ‘operation’ to assassinate Maduro

 

Venezuela says it has arrested six foreigners, including a U.S. Navy SEAL, in an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country, which has been in crisis since disputed elections earlier this year.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the alleged plot was led by the CIA and aimed at assassinating the country’s leader Nicolás Maduro.

The U.S. State Department rejected the claim as “categorically false.”

The accusation comes as the Venezuelan opposition, several Latin American leaders and the United States refuse to recognize Maduro’s disputed election victory, which was followed by deadly protests in which thousands were arrested.

In a press conference on Saturday, Cabello identified the alleged Navy SEAL as William Joseph Castañeda Gómez, claiming he was the leader of the operation.

The minister also named two other American detainees: David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan.

The minister said that in addition to the Americans, two Spanish citizens, José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme, and a Czech citizen, Jan Darmovzal, were also arrested.

Venezuelan authorities also seized 400 U.S. rifles linked to the alleged plot, he said.

Venezuelan authorities showed images of confiscated rifles that they said were part of an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country at a press conference on September 14.

“The CIA is at the forefront of this operation,” Cabello said at the press conference, claiming that Spain’s National Intelligence Center was also involved. “This does not surprise us at all,” he said.

He said the operation had “very clear objectives: to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro” and other high-ranking Venezuelan politicians, including himself and the vice president.

The State Department denied the claims. A spokesperson confirmed Saturday that a U.S. military member had been detained in Venezuela and that the department was “aware of unconfirmed reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained” in the country.

“Any allegations of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false,” the spokesperson added. “The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.”

The department is seeking further information, the spokesperson said.

A Spanish Foreign Ministry source told Reuters that Spain was asking Venezuela for more information.

“The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking to be given access to the detained citizens to verify their identity and nationality and to find out what exactly they are accused of,” the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

● Political crisis

Venezuela is still grappling with the aftermath of July’s presidential election, in which Maduro won a third term despite global skepticism about the outcome and protests from the country’s opposition movement.

The coalition backing opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez claims the vote was stolen, posting online vote count sheets that experts say indicate Maduro actually lost the presidency by a significant margin.

The United States recognized Gonzalez as the candidate who received the most votes in that election, but did not formally recognize him as Venezuela’s president-elect.

Last week, Gonzalez flew to Spain, fleeing Venezuela after an arrest warrant was issued charging him with terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes.

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro, accusing them of obstructing the election.

The United States also announced that a Venezuelan plane used by Maduro for international travel was seized in the Dominican Republic; a second plane linked to Maduro is under 24-hour surveillance by Dominican Republic authorities, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

Meanwhile, inside the country, Maduro’s government has cracked down on dissent, the harshest crackdown in years, according to Human Rights Watch. Protests have been brutally repressed, with some 2,400 people arrested and many more now fleeing the country. [CNN]

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