Venezuelan authorities announced on Monday the arrest of an Israeli national suspected of working as a mercenary for the United States in an alleged plot to stage a coup against the government.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that a total of 125 mercenaries from 16 different nationalities had been detained as part of ongoing operations to thwart what the government described as destabilization efforts.
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Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello
(Photo: AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / VENEZUELA´S INTERIOR AND JUSTICE MINISTRY)
According to Cabello, the suspects are nationals of the United States, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Peru, Spain, Italy, Ukraine, Switzerland, Lebanon, Albania, Germany, Yemen, Argentina, Guyana and Israel.
Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed it is investigating the report. The lack of diplomatic relations between Israel and Venezuela—severed in 2009 following Israel's Operation Cast Lead in Gaza—may complicate efforts to obtain more information.
Cabello’s statement is the latest in a series of accusations by the Venezuelan government, which has frequently blamed the U.S. for attempting to undermine its leadership.
Last year, Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest of three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech national, alleging they entered the country to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro. Cabello claimed at the time that the individuals were part of a CIA-backed plot to overthrow the government and eliminate senior officials. Venezuela also claimed that one of the arrested Americans had served in the U.S. Navy.
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In the past, Maduro has leveraged the detention of U.S. citizens to extract concessions from Washington. Last year, in a deal between the two nations, Maduro released 10 Americans and a fugitive wanted in the United States. In exchange, the U.S. granted clemency to Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro arrested in Florida on charges of money laundering. U.S. prosecutors allege that Saab assisted Maduro in evading U.S. sanctions.
Washington accuses Venezuela of rigging the vote in disputed elections held on July 28 last year and of committing human rights violations. Following the presidential elections, Maduro declared victory, but the opposition claimed it had won by a significant margin. The National Electoral Council refused to release detailed results. Many Western and Latin American countries recognized the opposition's claim and condemned Maduro's government.
Since the elections and Maduro's declaration of victory, Venezuela has been gripped by unrest, with hundreds arrested during protests. Despite international condemnation and the lack of transparency from the Electoral Council, Venezuela's Supreme Court—which supports Maduro—confirmed his victory in August. Subsequently, the country's attorney general issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Juan González, who refused to acknowledge the results and fled to Spain.