The Spanish government has rejected accusations from Venezuela about Madrid’s alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro. “Spain is committed to a democratic and peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela,” the state television broadcaster RTVE quoted a spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry as saying.
On Saturday, Venezuela reported the arrest of six foreign nationals who were allegedly planning an assassination attempt on Maduro. The arrested are two Spaniards, three Americans and a Czech. In addition, more than 400 rifles and pistols from the USA were confiscated, it was reported. The plan was intended to “generate violence” and “destabilize” the country, said Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello at a press conference.
Categorical denial from Madrid
According to Cabello, the secret services of Spain, the USA and opposition leader María Corina Machado are behind the plans. However, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Madrid, quoted by RTVE, “categorically” denied this. “The government has established that the detainees (from Spain) do not belong to the (Spanish secret service) CNI or any other state institution,” he asserted.
Relations between Venezuela, which has been ruled by Maduro for eleven years, and many Western countries continued to deteriorate after the presidential election in the South American country at the end of July. The government-loyal electoral authority declared Maduro the winner. The opposition spoke of electoral fraud and claimed victory for its candidate Edmundo González. The USA and some Latin American countries recognize González as the winner. The EU also doubts the official result.
González travelled to Spain a week ago to apply for political asylum. An arrest warrant had previously been issued against the 75-year-old in Venezuela on charges including sabotage, conspiracy and usurpation of office.
Tensions have continued to escalate in recent days. The US imposed sanctions on several of Maduro’s confidants, accusing them of obstructing a transparent electoral process. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles described Venezuela as a “dictatorship,” whereupon Caracas recalled the ambassador in Madrid for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to Caracas. Opposition leader Machado called for worldwide protests on Saturday evening.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240915-930-233195/1
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