Venezuela says it has seized 400 US rifles and arrested foreigners, including Americans, who it claims are linked to an alleged plot to “destabilize” the country, which has been in crisis since disputed elections earlier this year.
The country’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello made the claim in a press conference on Saturday. The minister said that in addition to the Americans, two Spanish citizens and one Czech citizen were arrested.
A US State Department spokesperson said a member of the US military had been arrested in Venezuela, and said the department was “aware of unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained” in the country.
“Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow (Venezuelan leader Nicolas) Maduro are categorically false,” the spokesperson added. “The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.”
The department is seeking additional information, the spokesperson said.
Venezuela is still grappling with the fallout from its presidential election in July, which saw Maduro claim a third term despite global skepticism about the result and outcry from the country’s opposition movement.
The coalition backing opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez insists the vote was stolen, publishing online vote tally sheets which experts say indicate Maduro actually lost the presidency by a significant margin.
The US has acknowledged Gonzalez as the candidate who received the most votes in that election but has not formally recognized him as president-elect of Venezuela.
Last week, Gonzalez flew to Spain, after fleeing Venezuela with?an arrest warrant?accusing him of terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes.
On Thursday, the US imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro for allegedly obstructing the election. The US also announced that?a Venezuelan plane?used by Maduro for international travel was seized in the Dominican Republic; a second plane linked to Maduro is under 24-hour surveillance by authorities in the Dominican Republic, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN.
Meanwhile in Venezuela, Maduro’s government has cracked down on dissent – the harshest crackdown in years, according to Human Rights Watch. Protests have been fiercely repressed, some 2,400 people have been arrested, and many others are now fleeing the country.
This is a developing story and will be updated.