Spain denies links to Venezuela plot after Spanish nationals arrested

Two Spanish nationals arrested in Venezuela had no links to the Spanish secret service and Spain was not involved in any plan to politically destabilize the South American country, a Spanish foreign ministry source said on Sunday.

Two Spaniards, three US citizens and a Czech citizen were arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of links to an alleged plot to undermine President Nicolas Maduro's government, Venezuela's interior minister said on Saturday.

"Spain denies and absolutely rejects any insinuation of being implicated in an operation of political destabilization in Venezuela," the Spanish foreign ministry source said.

"The government has confirmed that the (two Spanish citizens) detained do not form part of the Centre for National Intelligence or any state organization. Spain defends a democratic and peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela."

The arrests are likely to deepen Venezuela's already tense relations with Spain and the United States after a disputed presidential election in July.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told a press conference on Saturday that two Spaniards were allegedly linked to Spain's secret service and were planning the assassination of a mayor.

Accusations of plot against Maduro

He named the Spaniards as José María Basoa and Andrés Martínez Adasne. Photographs of the men were shown on state television.

The father of Adasne, Andrés Martínez, told El Mundo newspaper on Sunday his son did not work for the Spanish secret service.

"My son does not work for the CNI, of course not. We are waiting for information from the consulate and embassy. We still do not know what they are accused of or the reason for their arrest," he said.

Cabello also accused three US citizens and a Czech of involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged plans to assassinate Maduro and other officials.

The US State Department said on Saturday that "any claims of US involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false."

The State Department spokesperson also confirmed that a "member of the US military" was being held and noted "unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela."

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, called Maduro's government "dictatorial" during an interview with Spanish television channel Telecinco on Sunday.

On Saturday, a Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters it was asking Venezuela for more information.

"The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens in order to verify their identities and their nationality and in order to know what they are accused of exactly," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Spanish nationals were detained while taking photographs in the town of Puerto Ayacucho, Cabello said.

Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Spain last week for consultations and summoned the Spanish ambassador to appear at the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of running a "dictatorship."

Caracas was also angered by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez' decision to meet Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who went into exile in Spain last week after being threatened with arrest.

Tensions between Venezuela and the United States have also intensified after Washington recognized Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner of the July 28 election.