The United States has rejected allegations from Venezuela that the CIA orchestrated a plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and other top officials. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the arrest of three U.S. citizens, two Spaniards, and one Czech national, accusing them of attempting to destabilize the country. Cabello labeled the detainees as “mercenaries” and claimed the CIA was behind the plot, with hundreds of weapons allegedly seized.

The U.S. government firmly denied the accusations, calling them “categorically false.” A State Department spokesperson acknowledged that a U.S. military member was being held and noted unconfirmed reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela.

Cabello claimed the detainees had communicated with “French mercenaries” from Eastern Europe and were involved in plans to carry out terrorist attacks in Venezuela. He also stated that over 400 rifles had been confiscated as part of the operation.

Venezuelan authorities linked the detained Spaniards to Spain’s National Intelligence Centre (CNI), though Spanish government sources denied any such connection. A source from Spain told AFP, “Spain denies and categorically rejects any insinuation that it is involved in a political destabilisation operation in Venezuela.”

These allegations surfaced just days after Washington imposed sanctions on 16 Venezuelan officials closely aligned with Maduro, following his contested election victory.