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Venezuela arrests Spain, U.S. and Czech nationals for 'destabilization'.

Two Spaniards, three U.S. residents and a Czech have been arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of links to alleged plans to destabilize the South American nation, a leading Venezuela official stated on Saturday.

The statement is most likely to deepen the country's currently substantial tensions with Spain and the United States after Venezuela's disputed governmental election in July.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in a press conference said 2 Spaniards were presumably linked to Spain's. secret service and planning the assassination of a mayor.

Spanish media reported that Spain's federal government denied. this claim.

Cabello also implicated 3 U.S. residents and a Czech of. involvement in terrorist acts, including alleged strategies to. assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and other officials.

The U.S. State Department did not instantly react to a. ask for comment.

These groups seek to take the country's wealth, and we. as a federal government will react strongly to any destabilization. attempt, Cabello stated. He added that about 400 rifles. coming from the United States had actually been seized.

A Spanish foreign ministry source informed Reuters it was asking. Venezuela for more details.

The Spanish embassy has sent a spoken note to the. Venezuelan government requesting access to the detained people. in order to validate their identities and their citizenship and in. order to know what they are accused of exactly, the source. said, speaking on condition of privacy.

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

These people have links - we know they will say no, that. it is a lie - they have links with the center, Cabello stated,. referring to Spain's intelligence arm.

Spain will decide what to do, if it is going to keep. meddling in Venezuela's affairs.

Venezuela remembered its ambassador to Spain today for. assessments and summoned the Spanish ambassador to appear at. the foreign ministry after a Spanish minister accused Maduro of. running a dictatorship, escalating diplomatic tensions. following a disputed governmental election.

Venezuela was also outraged by the choice of Spanish Prime. Minister Pedro Sanchez to consult with Venezuelan opposition. candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who entered into exile in Spain. last week after being threatened with arrest by Maduro's regime.

Caracas likewise has actually had fresh stress with the United States,. which acknowledged opposition candidate Gonzalez Urrutia as the. winner of the July 28 election.

(source: Reuters)