A U.S. serviceman has been arrested in Venezuela, the U.S. State Department announced.
On Saturday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech had been arrested on charges of trying to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and overthrow the Venezuelan government, Reuters reported.
In a statement obtained by Fox News Digital, the State Department denied the allegations, with spokesman Matt Miller saying that “any claims that the United States is involved in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false.”
Miller confirmed the serviceman’s detention and said the State Department was aware of “unconfirmed reports” that Venezuelan authorities were detaining two other Americans.
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Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello has claimed that the CIA carried out a plot to overthrow the Venezuelan government and kill several members of its leadership. (Getty Images)
The Associated Press identified the U.S. serviceman as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, a Navy veteran.
The arrests come amid international conflict over Venezuela’s recent presidential election, which was marred by allegations of fraud.
While Maduro was declared the winner in July by Venezuelan officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that there was “overwhelming evidence” that Maduro’s opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had won the most votes.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro addresses government loyalists gathered at the presidential palace in support of his re-election one month after the presidential poll, in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
At a news conference Saturday, Cabello said the detainees were believed to be linked to plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials.
“These groups are seeking to seize the country’s wealth, and we, as a government, will respond firmly to any attempt at destabilization,” Cabello said, adding that authorities seized about 400 rifles from the United States.
The Venezuelan national flag is raised by protesters in Caracas, Venezuela, May 3, 2017. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
The US State Department has denied the allegations.
The United States “continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela,” Miller said.
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Cabello said the Spanish nationals were arrested while taking photos in the city of Puerto Ayacucho.
“These citizens have links – we know they will say no, that it is a lie – they have links with the center,” Cabello said, referring to the Spanish intelligence agency.
The State Department said a U.S. service member has been arrested in Venezuela in what the Latin American country calls a plot to destabilize the government. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/Pool/File photo)
The Spanish government also denied any involvement, Spanish media reported.
A source at the Spanish foreign ministry told Reuters that further information had been requested from Venezuelan officials.
“The Spanish embassy sent a note verbale to the Venezuelan government requesting access to the detained citizens in order to verify their identity and nationality and to know exactly what they are accused of,” the source said.
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Diplomatic tensions between Venezuela and Spain remain high following Venezuela’s disputed July 28 presidential election.
A Spanish minister accused Maduro of leading a “dictatorship.”
Venezuela was also upset by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s decision to meet with Gonzalez, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest by the Maduro regime after the election.
Nick Kalman of Fox News and Reuters contributed to this report.
