Venezuela Arrests 6 Foreigners, Including 3 Americans, in Alleged Maduro Assassination Plot

Venezuela Arrests 6 Foreigners, Including 3 Americans, in Alleged Maduro Assassination Plot

Venezuelan authorities have arrested six foreign nationals, including three Americans, for allegedly plotting to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the arrests at a press conference in Caracas, stating that the suspects also planned to carry out terrorist acts in the country.

The group, which includes two Spaniards and a Czech national, was reportedly caught with 400 rifles and pistols, which Cabello claims were sent from the U.S. to incite violence. He also suggested that the two Spanish suspects were linked to Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI), a claim the Spanish government denies.

The Spanish Embassy in Caracas has requested confirmation of the identities of the detainees and details of the charges. This diplomatic tension follows Spain’s recognition of opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez after Venezuela’s July 28 elections, which led to a breakdown in relations between the two countries. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has recalled the nation’s ambassador to Madrid, while Venezuelan lawmakers have called for the severance of all diplomatic and economic ties with Spain.