The Diplomat
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today denied that Spain is involved in an operation to destabilize Venezuela, as hinted yesterday by the Minister of the Interior of the Bolivarian regime, Diosdado Cabello, when reporting the arrest of two Spaniards accused of participating in plans to kill Nicolás Maduro.
Official sources from the department headed by José Manuel Albares said that “Spain denies and rejects outright any insinuation of being involved in an operation to destabilize Venezuela.”
In addition, they assured that “The Government has confirmed that the detainees are not part of the CNI or any other state body.” And they added: “Spain defends a democratic and peaceful solution to the situation in Venezuela.”
The Foreign Ministry’s statements come after Spain yesterday also asked the Venezuelan government to be allowed access to the Spaniards José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme, detained in that country, accused of preparing an attack against Nicolás Maduro and whom the Bolivarian regime links to the National Intelligence Centre (CNI).
Official sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the Spanish Embassy in Caracas has sent a verbal note to the Government of Venezuela “requesting access to the detainees, in order to verify their identities and their nationality and, if verified, to know exactly what they are accused of and that they can receive all the necessary assistance.”
“The Embassy – the same sources added – will ensure at all times the protection and rights of any Spaniard detained in Venezuela.”
Yesterday afternoon, the Venezuelan Minister of the Interior, Diosdado Cabello, announced the arrest of six people, including the aforementioned José María Basoa Valdovinos and Andrés Martínez Adasme, whom he linked to a plan to destabilize the country and carry out “terrorist” attacks, also against the president himself, Nicolás Maduro.
According to the minister, more than 400 weapons “transported from the United States” were seized in the operation, and some of those captured were seeking to bring to Venezuela “a group of mercenaries” with the purpose of killing Maduro, as well as the Executive Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, and other leaders of Chavismo.
Diosdado Cabello said, in an appearance before Venezuelan public media, that both Basoa Valdovinos and Martínez Adasme, whom he identified as Spanish, “have links” with the National Intelligence Center (CNI). He added that both were captured in Puerto Ayacucho, capital of the state of Amazonas (south, bordering Colombia and Brazil), “in an irregular situation, taking photos.”
The minister said that “Spanish intelligence is promoting the recruitment of terrorists to come to Venezuela,” and assured that “the CNI is up to its neck” in that operation. “They send very few soldiers and the rest are hired mercenaries. That is why Spanish intelligence comes in with the hiring. We have the complete plan.”
According to the minister, the authorities have found information on the phones of those arrested about their contacts with a regional “leader” of the Vente Venezuela (VV) party, who they ask “how they buy explosives” and “contact groups that would like to do some special work.”
Behind the “trafficking” of weapons, Cabello indicated, is the former commissioner of the Caracas Police Iván Simonovis, who – he assured – has “direct” links in Venezuela with leaders of the majority of the opposition, among whom he mentioned María Corina Machado, the main supporter of the former presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who has received asylum in Spain.
The minister demanded that the US government, which he accused of being “behind this operation,” clarify “the use of its territory to traffic weapons” with the aim of “overthrowing a government.” “democratic, elected by its people” in the presidential elections of July 28.
Venezuela, – Cabello added – has been “under constant siege by imperialism with its allies, who have no scruples of any kind and the Venezuelan State has had the obligation to make decisions to defend itself.”
Alert of disappearance in Colombia
According to the ABC newspaper, José María Basoa is 35 years old and Andrés Martínez Adasme, 32. They are Basque and residents of Bilbao. The newspaper adds that on September 9, the local alert services of the Colombian municipality of Inírida launched a notice on social networks regarding the “disappearance” of the two, reported as Spanish tourists.
It also points out that the post indicated that they had been seen for the last time on September 2 in the municipality on the way to Puerto Ayacucho. “Both were traveling without a guide and we have had no news since their last telephone connection that day at 8:23 a.m.,” said the message. As he explained, on August 17 they traveled from Madrid to Caracas and rented a car. On September 2 they were preparing to take a boat back to the Venezuelan port but nothing more was known. They were supposed to return the car on September 5 but they did not.
