Maduro Orders Arrest of Rival to Quell Venezuela Dissent
BloombergAug 23
Venezuela Arrests Another US Citizen Over Alleged Plot Against Maduro
Above: Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello speaks during a session at the National Assembly in Caracas on September 17, 2024. Image copyright: Federico Parra/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced in the National Assembly on Tuesday that a fourth US citizen was arrested in connection with an alleged plot "against Venezuela" that would overthrow and kill Nicolás Maduro.
According to Cabello, the unnamed American man had previously visited the country and was detained after taking photos of key electrical and oil infrastructure and military units.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Following Maduro's manipulation of the July 28 presidential election, Venezuela is rapidly transitioning into a totalitarian state — and the regime has alleged a coup to blame the US and divert attention from its unprecedented repression at home. If anyone is resorting to force to overturn the will of the people, it's Maduro and his allies.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's no surprise that the US is trying hard to pressure and overthrow Venezuela's legitimate socialist government, as that has been the case for the past decades. The US has long sought to bring Venezuela back into the US sphere of influence — and at best, Washington has conveniently failed to prevent this plot from being planned on its territory.