Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia fled into exile in Spain last week
15 September 2024 - 20:13
byGraham Keeley
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Picture: Reuters/Fausto Torrealba
Madrid — Two Spanish nationals arrested in Venezuela had no links to the Spanish secret service and Spain was not involved in any plan to politically destabilise the South American country, a Spanish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.
Two Spaniards, three US citizens and a Czech citizen were arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of links to an alleged plot to undermine President Nicolas Maduro’s government, Venezuela's interior minister said on Saturday.
“Spain denies and absolutely rejects any insinuation of being implicated in an operation of political destabilisation in Venezuela,” the Spanish foreign ministry source said.
“The government has confirmed that the (two Spanish citizens) detained do not form part of the Centre for National Intelligence or any state organisation. Spain defends a democratic and peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela.”
The arrests are likely to deepen Venezuela’s already tense relations with Spain and the US after a disputed presidential election in July.
Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello told a press conference two Spaniards were allegedly linked to Spain’s secret service and were planning the assassination of a mayor.
He named the Spaniards as José María Basoa and Andrés Martínez Adasne. Photographs of the men were shown on state television.
The father of Adasne, Andrés Martínez, told El Mundo newspaper on Sunday his son did not work for the Spanish secret service.
“My son does not work for the CNI, of course not. We are waiting for information from the consulate and embassy. We still do not know what they are accused of or the reason for their arrest,” he said.
Cabello also accused three US citizens and a Czech of involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials.
The US state department said on Saturday that “any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false”.
The department spokesperson also confirmed that a “member of the US military” was being held and noted “unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela”.
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, called Maduro’s government “dictatorial” during an interview with Spanish television channel Telecinco on Sunday.
On Saturday, a Spanish foreign ministry source said it was asking Venezuela for more information.
“The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens to verify their identities and their nationality and to know what they are accused of exactly,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho, Cabello said.
Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Spain last week for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to appear at the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship”.
Caracas was also angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s decision to meet Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest.
Tensions between Venezuela and the US have also intensified after Washington recognised Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the July 28 election.
The US also seized a jet belonging to Maduro in the Dominican Republic last month.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Spain denies links to alleged Venezuela plot
Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia fled into exile in Spain last week
Madrid — Two Spanish nationals arrested in Venezuela had no links to the Spanish secret service and Spain was not involved in any plan to politically destabilise the South American country, a Spanish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.
Two Spaniards, three US citizens and a Czech citizen were arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of links to an alleged plot to undermine President Nicolas Maduro’s government, Venezuela's interior minister said on Saturday.
“Spain denies and absolutely rejects any insinuation of being implicated in an operation of political destabilisation in Venezuela,” the Spanish foreign ministry source said.
“The government has confirmed that the (two Spanish citizens) detained do not form part of the Centre for National Intelligence or any state organisation. Spain defends a democratic and peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela.”
The arrests are likely to deepen Venezuela’s already tense relations with Spain and the US after a disputed presidential election in July.
Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello told a press conference two Spaniards were allegedly linked to Spain’s secret service and were planning the assassination of a mayor.
He named the Spaniards as José María Basoa and Andrés Martínez Adasne. Photographs of the men were shown on state television.
The father of Adasne, Andrés Martínez, told El Mundo newspaper on Sunday his son did not work for the Spanish secret service.
“My son does not work for the CNI, of course not. We are waiting for information from the consulate and embassy. We still do not know what they are accused of or the reason for their arrest,” he said.
Cabello also accused three US citizens and a Czech of involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials.
The US state department said on Saturday that “any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false”.
The department spokesperson also confirmed that a “member of the US military” was being held and noted “unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela”.
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, called Maduro’s government “dictatorial” during an interview with Spanish television channel Telecinco on Sunday.
On Saturday, a Spanish foreign ministry source said it was asking Venezuela for more information.
“The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens to verify their identities and their nationality and to know what they are accused of exactly,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho, Cabello said.
Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Spain last week for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to appear at the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a “dictatorship”.
Caracas was also angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s decision to meet Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest.
Tensions between Venezuela and the US have also intensified after Washington recognised Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the July 28 election.
The US also seized a jet belonging to Maduro in the Dominican Republic last month.
Reuters
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