Another American Arrested in Venezuela for Alleged Scheme to Assassinate Maduro
A fourth U.S. citizen has been detained by Venezuelan authorities for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro. The arrest was made in Caracas after the individual was caught taking photos of important installations and military units, as disclosed by Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during the National Assembly.
Cabello accused the man of being part of the conspiracy against Venezuela but did not reveal his identity. This arrest comes after three other U.S. citizens were apprehended over the same plot, along with two Spaniards and a Czech national, one of whom was identified as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, described as a Navy SEAL by Cabello.
The U.S. State Department confirmed on September 16 the detention of one U.S. military member with reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela. Cabello has implicated the CIA in the plot to overthrow Maduro, a claim dismissed by the U.S. State Department as “categorically false.”
Meanwhile, tensions have escalated in Venezuela following the controversial presidential election on July 28, with conflicting reports on the outcome. Both the U.S. and Spain have recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner, supported by a statement from the EU’s high representative Josep Borrell. The U.S. Treasury Department has also sanctioned individuals tied to Maduro for alleged election fraud.
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has faced international scrutiny over the election results and accusations of silencing the opposition. Despite calls for transparency, Maduro has rejected requests to provide detailed tally sheets and continues to assert that the U.S. is attempting to destabilize his government.
Joseph Lord, Reuters, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
