Three Americans held in Venezuela for suspected involvement in anti-government conspiracy
Venezuelan authorities have detained five individuals, including three U.S. citizens, over alleged connections to a terrorist plot to destabilize the country, as announced by Venezuela’s interior minister on Thursday. Despite this, no evidence has been provided linking the detainees to any government-related terrorist activities in the country.
The detained U.S. citizens have been identified as David Guttenberg Guillaume, Gregory David Werber, and Jonathan Pagan Gonzalez. Diosdado Cabello, the Venezuelan Interior Minister, did not specify when the individuals were detained or the charges they face, but mentioned that Gonzalez was captured in the border state of Zulia. Additionally, a Peruvian and a Bolivian citizen were also among those taken into custody alongside the Americans.
All individuals detained speak Spanish fluently and reportedly traveled to Venezuela under the pretense of leisure or visiting romantic partners, as stated by the interior minister. However, Cabello has reiterated claims that entities like the CIA were behind the alleged terrorist plot, a claim that the U.S. State Department has refuted multiple times.
Election Results Under Scrutiny
The recent arrests follow increased crackdowns on what the Venezuelan government has labeled as “anti-government activities” following the controversial July presidential election, where President Nicolas Maduro secured a third term in office.
With the latest detentions, the number of foreign individuals held in Venezuela rises to at least 12 after the arrest of three Americans, two Spaniards, and a Czech citizen last month. Among these detainees is Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, identified as a Navy SEAL with service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Colombia.
Officials have accused the detained individuals of plotting to assassinate Maduro, overthrow the Venezuelan government, and eliminate several of its leaders. The United States imposed sanctions on 16 individuals associated with Maduro in September, accusing him of election fraud and human rights violations during the July election.
Past actions by the Maduro administration have involved leveraging imprisoned Americans in Venezuela to negotiate concessions from the U.S. government. A deal was struck in December last year between the Biden administration and Venezuela, resulting in the release of 10 Americans and a fugitive in exchange for a presidential pardon for Columbian businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro facing charges of a $350 million money laundering scheme.
The Epoch Times reached out to the State Department for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Aldgra Fredly, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.
