3 Americans Arrested In Venezuela Amid Alleged Destabilization Plot

Three Americans have been detained in Venezuela, accused of plotting to “destabilize” the country through “violent actions.” The Venezuelan government claims the group was planning an attack on President Nicolas Maduro and his administration.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that alongside the Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech national were arrested. The authorities reportedly seized 400 rifles connected to this alleged conspiracy. One American, identified as a Navy sailor, was in Venezuela for personal travel and was apprehended earlier this month.

Cabello further alleged that the detained individuals had connections to intelligence agencies from their respective countries. He also implicated Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, claiming she provided evidence showing that Maduro lost the July 28 presidential election to Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

This arrest comes shortly after the U.S. imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan election officials. These officials are accused of being Maduro sympathizers who helped him stay in power despite evidence of election fraud. The U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions target members of Venezuela’s National Electoral Council and Supreme Tribunal of Justice for repressing citizens’ rights through intimidation and censorship.

Additionally, the State Department has placed visa restrictions on 2,000 individuals suspected of being “Maduro-aligned officials” involved in the election fraud.

The latest developments underscore the strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela over political and human rights issues.