Spain has categorically denied any involvement in a plot to destabilize Venezuela following the arrest of two Spanish nationals in the country. The Spanish Foreign Ministry confirmed that the detained individuals are not connected to Spain’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) or any government agency.
The arrests occurred amid heightened tensions between Venezuela and both Spain and the United States following the disputed July 28 presidential election, which has been marred by allegations of fraud.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello claimed that the two Spaniards, along with three U.S. citizens and a Czech national, were part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts, including an assassination plot against President Nicolás Maduro.
Cabello alleged that the Spanish nationals were apprehended while taking photographs in Puerto Ayacucho and suggested they had links to Spain’s intelligence services. However, Spain’s government has firmly rejected these claims, emphasizing its commitment to a peaceful resolution to the political situation in Venezuela.
The U.S. State Department has also dismissed the allegations of American involvement, labeling them “categorically false.”
A U.S. military member was confirmed to be among those detained, with the State Department seeking further details on the situation and asserting that the U.S. supports a democratic solution to Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis.
These developments come as diplomatic relations between Venezuela and both Spain and the U.S. continue to deteriorate, particularly after Spain recognized opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate winner of the recent election, a move that has provoked strong reactions from the Maduro government.