ALBAWABA - Following the announcement on Saturday by Venezuelan authorities that six people were arrested in an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Nicolás Maduro, with the CIA being involved.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello raised accusations of a conspiracy against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose recent reelection is under scrutiny, on state television.
According to Cabello, the foreign nationals, one of whom was a member of the US Navy, were involved in a scheme headed by the CIA to topple the Venezuelan government and assassinate a number of its officials. During the TV broadcast, Cabello displayed pictures of firearms that he claimed had been seized from some of the accused conspirators.
The accusations come days after the US Treasury imposed sanctions on sixteen of Maduro's associates, who the US government charged with violating human rights and attempting to hinder voting in the contentious July 28 presidential election in Venezuela.
Late on Saturday, the US State Department announced that it was aware of "unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela" in addition to confirming the custody of a US military member.
Any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela
Spain's parliament recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the election winner last week, infuriating Maduro loyalists who demanded that the Venezuelan government terminate business and diplomatic connections with Spain.
Tensions between Venezuela's administration and the United States have also risen since the election, which spurred protests in Venezuela, with hundreds of opposition activists imprisoned.
Venezuela's electoral body, which is strongly associated with the Maduro administration, declared Maduro the winner with 52% of the vote but did not offer a full breakdown of the results.
