Venezuela Arrests Americans Over "CIA Plot" to Kill President Nicolás Maduro

Venezuelan authorities have arrested six foreign nationals, including a U.S. Navy SEAL, accusing them of plotting to "destabilize" the country and assassinate President Nicolás Maduro. The arrests, announced by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, have escalated tensions between Venezuela and the United States, already strained over disputed elections earlier this year.
During a televised press conference on Saturday, Cabello named the alleged leader of the plot as U.S. Navy SEAL William Joseph Castañeda Gómez. Two other Americans, David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan, were also among those detained, alongside two Spanish citizens-José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme-and one Czech national, Jan Darmovzal. The Venezuelan government also claimed to have seized 400 U.S.-made rifles in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
Cabello directly accused the CIA of orchestrating the assassination plot, with alleged support from Spain's National Intelligence Center. He described the operation as having "very clear objectives of assassinating President Nicolás Maduro" and other senior officials, including himself and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. In response, the U.S. State Department categorically denied any involvement in such a plot, calling the accusations "wild" and "categorically false."