Politics

Venezuela: US Denies Claim CIA Plotted to Kill Maduro

SEP 15 2024·Updated SEP 16 2024

Story

Above: A demonstrator holds a banner during an antigovernment protest in Lisbon, Portugal, on Aug. 31, 2024. Image credit: Luis Boza/NurPhoto/Contributor via Getty Images

The 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."
USA Today
FOX News
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.
CNN
New York Post
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."
CNN
New York Post
Colombiaone
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.
Al Jazeera
BBC News
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."
Venezuelanalysis
US Department of State
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."
BBC News
Venezuelanalysis

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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CRIT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

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.

Voz Media

The Economist

Establishment-critical narrative

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.