Venezuela stops CIA plan to murder Maduro
Date
9/17/2024 8:44:46 AM
(MENAFN) Venezuela's interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, has announced that the country's security forces have successfully thwarted a plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and orchestrate acts of terrorism. According to Cabello, the alleged conspiracy involved several international nationals, including two from Spain, one from the Czech Republic, and three Americans—one of whom is reportedly an active-duty member of the United States military.
The plot, as described by Cabello in an interview with Telesur on Saturday, was reportedly led by Wilbert Castaneda, a United States Navy SEAL decorated for missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Castaneda was apprehended on September 1, along with other suspects. Cabello claimed that the operation included the seizure of several hundred military-grade firearms.
The allegations come amidst heightened tensions following Venezuela’s contested presidential election in July, in which Maduro was re-elected for a third term with 52 percent of the vote. The opposition accused the government of election fraud, and many Western countries, including the United States, the European Union, and the G7, have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory.
In response, Caracas has accused Washington of attempting to orchestrate a coup. Cabello’s statements also implicated two Spanish nationals, José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andres Martinez Adasme, who were reportedly detained in southern Venezuela. Cabello claimed that both individuals were affiliated with Spain’s National Intelligence Center, a claim that has been denied by Madrid.
The United States Department of State has confirmed the detention of several American citizens in Venezuela but has "categorically" denied any involvement or support from the United States government in the alleged plot against Maduro.
The incident adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding Venezuela and highlights the broader international ramifications of the country's political crisis.
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