Venezuela’s Government Seizes 400 US Rifles, Arrests Foreigners

September 14, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela’s government seized 400 rifles from the United States and arrested several foreigners, including Americans.

Venezuela’s Government Accuses Foreign Nationals of Conspiracy Amid Crisis

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello addressed the media during a press conference in Caracas on Saturday.

Two are Spanish citizens and one Czech, Cabello said, adding that they were conspiring against the current Venezuela’s Government. This is during the time that Venezuela is already in its political crisis period over this year’s contested elections.

Background

The Venezuelan crisis continued to deepen after the July presidential election. The incumbent President, Nicolás Maduro, declared himself the winner after his third term. The election was marred with accusations of fraud and irregularity. According to the opposition leader, Edmundo Gonzalez, “the election was stolen, while victory belongs to Gonzalez.” US, among others, have questioned the legitimacy of the election result.

He ran away to Spain after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Gonzalez is facing charges in Venezuela for terrorism, conspiracy, and other crimes against the country.

Its actions came as a response to electoral issues and other continued repression in Venezuela, where it sanctioned against Venezuelan officials and took control of a plane associated with Maduro’s international travels. The U.S. State Department has also been candid in their criticism that they have voiced to the Venezuelan government for their handling of the election and its approach to human rights.

Recent Developments

Venezuela’s government is under pressure internationally because of how it treats those against it in dissent. The Maduro regime has been heavy-handed in its treatment of protesters, arresting almost 2,400 in the process of the crackdown. Already thousands of Venezuelans have fled abroad from the deteriorating repression.

As the Venezuela’s government alleges in chronicling a plot against it, detailing seized rifles is an element of this major alleged plot the government claims to have foiled. Details of the alleged plot or of the supposedly involved detained foreigners have yet to be independently verified.

U.S. Reaction

The U.S. State Department has already reacted to the claims of Venezuela, stating it is aware of the arrest of a U.S. military member and reports of other U.S. citizens being detained. Davis commented, “We’re just learning about it. At this point, we don’t have any statements to make regarding that arrest or the involvement of any other U.S. citizens in this alleged coup attempt.” The department categorically denies any involvement of the U.S. in the coup attempt. Instead, The United States backs a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela and remains engaged in collecting additional information about the situation.

FAQ

Q: Who did Venezuela really take?
A: Venezuela says they seized 400 rifles from the U.S., which they say were the main core in the alleged plan to destabilize the country.

Q: Who’s behind bars?

A: Among those in custody are Americans, two Spanish nationals, and one Czech citizen.

Q: What’s the allegations against detained foreigners?
A: The Venezuelan government says that the held foreign nationals belonged to a plan to cripple the state.

Q:How did US react to these allegations?
A: The US State Department had rejected all such accusations and condemned the claims made by the Venezuelan government. They still pleaded for a democratic way out of the crisis in Venezuela.

Q: The way in which the Venezuelan government dealt with dissent?
A: The Venezuelan government has crushed dissent very badly as thousands have been arrested and many have fled the country.

Conclusion

The situation in Venezuela continues to be volatile because its government still remains in the spotlight for its response to the political crisis and the manner it handles dissent. The latest allegations of another plot that had already seen the seizure of rifles and even foreign arrests are getting very complex. International opinion continues questioning and analyzing steps and response from Venezuela; the Venezuelan authorities continue to show their response to threats against stability. This situation still unfolds, with updates having to be made as information comes through.