Venezuela says it arrests six foreigners suspected of plotting to assassinate Maduro

On September 15, 2024, news from Bogotá, Colombia. Venezuelan officials said they have arrested six foreign citizens, including three Americans, two Spaniards and one Czech citizen, accusing them of plotting to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced these arrests on state television, saying that these foreign citizens are part of a conspiracy led by the US Central Intelligence Agency to overthrow the Venezuelan government and kill its leadership members. He also showed images of rifles confiscated from the alleged plotters.

Among the arrested American citizens is a navy member, Wilbert Joseph Castaneda Gomez, who is said to be a Navy SEAL who has served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Colombia. The Spanish Embassy in Venezuela did not respond to requests for comment. The US State Department confirmed the detention of an American military member and said that any claim that the United States is involved in a plot to overthrow Maduro is false. The United States supports a democratic solution to the Venezuelan political crisis.

Two days before announcing the arrests, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on 16 allies of Maduro. The Spanish parliament's recognition of opposition candidate Edmundo González as the election winner also angered Maduro's allies. Tensions have risen in Venezuela after the election. Hundreds of opposition activists have been arrested. The Maduro government said Maduro won the election with 52% of the votes, but vote tallies collected by the opposition show that González received twice as many votes as Maduro. Venezuela's Supreme Court confirmed Maduro's victory. The attorney general leveled conspiracy charges against González, who fled to Spain. Maduro has refused requests from many countries for vote tallies. He has long claimed that the United States is trying to overthrow him. The Venezuelan government also said that the US government is connected to this operation and that those arrested are CIA agents.