Washington, Madrid, Prague Seek Information On Nationals Held In Venezuela

Caracas, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2024) The United States, Spain and the Czech Republic on Monday demanded information from Venezuela about six of their citizens detained in the South American country over an alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro.

The government in Caracas on Saturday announced the arrests of three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech it claimed had ties with US and Spanish intelligence agencies and the Venezuelan opposition.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said 400 rifles were confiscated as the alleged plot was dismantled -- not the first time Maduro has claimed to have been the target of US-led attempts to unseat him.

Maduro, widely accused of increasingly authoritarian rule and human rights violations, claimed Monday the detainees had "confessed," as he batted away assertions that they were mere tourists.

"These terrorist tourists in their spare time were going to set bombs, they come for a new type of tourism: adventure tourism it can be called, explosive tourism," he said on state tv.

Maduro added that "the government of the United States did not expect we would have the capacity to capture the head of... the terrorist plan against Venezuela.

"

The United States and Spain have vehemently denied claims of involvement in any plot.

The arrests came amid heightened tensions between Caracas and both Washington and Madrid over July 28 presidential elections the Venezuelan opposition accuses Maduro of having stolen.

On Monday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said he could confirm the detention of a US "military member," and said there were "reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela."

"We are seeking additional information and monitoring the situation," he said.

Caracas and Washington broke off diplomatic ties in 2019.

Spain's foreign ministry said it "continues to demand from the Venezuelan authorities official and verified information on the arrest of two Spaniards, as well as a clarification of the charges they are accused of."

Spain said its two detained citizens were not part of the CNI intelligence service.

In Prague, a foreign ministry spokeswoman said the Czech embassy in Bogota had sent a note to Caracas demanding "detailed information" about its citizen as well as "consular contact."