Spain Seeks Information On Arrested Nationals In Venezuela

Spain has requested information from Venezuela regarding reports that two Spanish nationals, three American citizens, and a Czech have been detained on suspicion of involvement in a purported plot to destabilize Venezuela. This information was confirmed by a source from the Spanish foreign ministry.

According to Spanish media, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that the six individuals were apprehended on suspicion of planning to incite violence and destabilize the country. The Spanish embassy has issued a verbal note to the Venezuelan government, seeking access to the detained individuals to confirm their identities, nationalities, and the specific charges against them.

The Spanish citizens were reportedly detained in Puerto Ayacucho. The Venezuelan minister mentioned in a press conference that approximately 400 rifles of U.S. origin had been seized during the arrests. Additionally, the Spanish nationals were accused of being affiliated with the Spanish secret service, a claim which Madrid has denied.

These arrests occurred following a recent escalation in diplomatic tensions, triggered by Venezuela’s recall of its ambassador to Spain and the summoning of the Spanish ambassador for consultations. This diplomatic strain intensified after Spain’s Minister accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of running a dictatorship.

Further aggravating the situation, Venezuela reacted strongly to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s meeting with Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a Venezuelan opposition figure who had sought asylum in Spain after facing arrest threats from Maduro’s regime. Caracas has also been in a heated exchange with the United States, which recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the victor of the July 28 election.