A U.S. service member has been detained in Venezuela, as confirmed by the U.S. State Department. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello claimed that the American, along with two other Americans, two Spaniards, and a Czech, were involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and overthrow the government. However, the State Department denied these allegations, calling them “categorically false.” The detainee, identified by the Associated Press as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, is a member of the Navy. Reports also indicated that two additional Americans may have been detained by Venezuelan authorities.
The detentions come at a time of international tension over Venezuela’s recent presidential election, which was marred by accusations of fraud. While Venezuelan officials declared Maduro the winner in July, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that there was “overwhelming evidence” that Maduro’s opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had actually received the most votes. During a press conference, Cabello claimed that the detainees were connected to plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials, as well as seizing the country’s wealth. The U.S. State Department reiterated its support for a democratic solution to Venezuela’s political crisis and denied any involvement in the alleged plot.
According to Cabello, the Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in Puerto Ayacucho. He insinuated that they had ties to Spain’s intelligence agency, which the Spanish government promptly denied. A Spanish foreign ministry source stated that they had requested more information from Venezuelan officials and sought access to the detained citizens to confirm their identities and nationalities, as well as the accusations against them. Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Spain have been tense following the disputed presidential election, with a Spanish minister denouncing Maduro’s regime as a dictatorship and the Spanish Prime Minister meeting with Gonzalez, who sought asylum in Spain after the election.
Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have also escalated as a result of this incident, with the State Department denying any involvement in the alleged plot to overthrow the Venezuelan government. While Cabello claimed that the detained individuals had connections to groups seeking to destabilize the country, the U.S. remains committed to supporting a democratic resolution to Venezuela’s political crisis. The detainee, Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, is a member of the Navy and is currently being held in Venezuela. It is unclear what actions the U.S. government will take in response to these detentions and the ongoing dispute with the Venezuelan administration over the election results.
The detainment of the U.S. service member in Venezuela has further strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as with Spain, where other foreign nationals were also detained. The accusations of an assassination plot against President Maduro and the involvement of foreign entities have raised concerns about the stability of Venezuela and the potential for further unrest. The international community will be closely monitoring developments in this situation and assessing the potential impact on regional security and stability. The U.S. government’s commitment to a peaceful resolution in Venezuela, while denying any involvement in the alleged plot, underscores the complexities of the political situation in the country and the challenges facing the region in achieving a peaceful and democratic resolution.
