Venezuela: US Denies Claim CIA Plotted to Kill Maduro
The US State Department said on Sunday that Venezuela's allegations that its Central Intelligence Agency was involved in an alleged plot to overthrow the government and kill Pres. Nicolás Maduro were 'categorically false.'...
Facts
- The US State Department said on Sunday that Venezuela's allegations that its Central Intelligence Agency was involved in an alleged plot to overthrow the government and kill Pres. Nicolás Maduro were 'categorically false.'[1][2]
- This comes after Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced on Saturday that six foreigners — including a US Navy SEAL and two Spanish citizens — had been arrested for plotting 'violent actions' to 'destabilize' the country.[3][4]
- Cabello added that the detainees had contacted foreign mercenaries and possessed over 400 US-made rifles, claiming that the CIA and Spain's intelligence agency CNI were in charge of this operation 'to try to attack our country.'[3][4][5]
- Since Maduro was declared the winner of the July presidential election despite claims the opposition candidate defeated the incumbent president, the country has seen mass opposition protests that have reportedly killed over 24 people and left nearly 200 injured.[6][7]
- The US Treasury Department on Thursday imposed new sanctions on 16 high-profile Venezuelan individuals, including the heads of the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, for 'imped[ing] a transparent electoral process.'[8][9]
- On Friday, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil summoned the Spanish ambassador in Caracas, Ramón Santos Martínez, for a meeting after Spain's Defense Minister Margarita Robles referred to Venezuela as a 'dictatorship.'[7][8]
Sources: [1]USA Today, [2]FOX News, [3]CNN, [4]New York Post, [5]Colombiaone, [6]Al Jazeera, [7]BBC News, [8]Venezuelanalysis and [9]US Department of State.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Voz Media and Economist. Washington is committed to finding a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela, so these false coup claims are entirely absurd. If anyone is resorting to force to overturn the will of the people, it's Maduro and his allies who have repressed civilians democratically protesting against their election fraud.
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by teleSURenglish and Peoplesdispatch. Though Washington may insist on telling lies, its agents have already confessed to the thwarted plot to attack government buildings — including the Miraflores presidential palace — and the sabotage of public services to destabilize Venezuela. At best, the US has conveniently failed to prevent these actions from being planned on its territory.
