Venezuela arrests five foreigners over alleged anti-government plot – bbc.com
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Venezuelan authorities have arrested five foreign nationals in connection with an alleged anti-government plot, the latest in a wave of arrests following July’s contested presidential election.
The country’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello said on Thursday that the five – three Americans, a Bolivian and a Peruvian – had engaged in a plan to destabilise the country.
Cabello claimed that US intelligence agencies were involved in the plot, though he provided no evidence for the allegation.
The CIA previously denied a claim it was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.
The US State Department condemned the latest arrests and said that the “safety and security of American citizens anywhere around the world is our first priority”.
Electoral authorities loyal to Maduro announced him the victor in the July election, but the claim has been widely rejected by the international community.
After Maduro claimed victory, anti-government protests erupted.
More than 2,400 people have been detained for protesting against the election result. Hundreds have been charged with crimes including terrorism, incitement to hatred and resistance to authority, according to Human Rights Watch.
