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Venezuelan authorities said it has detained five foreign nationals linked to an alleged anti-government plot.
The country’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello said the five persons included three Americans, a Bolivian and a Peruvian, noting that "they engaged in a plan to destabilise the country."
Cabello affirmed that US intelligence agencies we in connection to the plot, although no substantial evidence to back up the allegation.
The CIA previously denied a claim it was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.
The US State Department condemned the latest arrests and said that the “safety and security of American citizens anywhere around the world is our first priority.”
Electoral authorities loyal to Maduro announced him the victor in the July election, but the claim has been widely rejected by the international community.
After Maduro claimed victory, anti-government protests erupted.
More than 2,400 people have been detained for protesting against the election result, while above Hundreds have been charged with crimes including terrorism, incitement to hatred and resistance to authority, according to Human Rights Watch.
Cabello did not offer any details regarding the circumstances that led to the arrests of the foreign nationals.
“The detained foreigners speak Spanish perfectly, a necessary requirement for them to involve themselves in communities,”Cabello said in a televised address.
Since Maduro claimed victory in July, his allies have made frequent accusations that the US has been sponsoring plots to undermine the leftist government.
Calling the detainees “mercenaries,”the interior minister claimed the CIA was “leading the operation”and that hundreds of weapons had been seized.
The most recent incident marked the latest deterioration in relations, which have been at a low ebb for years as Venezuela has grown increasingly close to Russia and China.
