Daily SumUp

The United States has dismissed claims made by Venezuela that the CIA plotted to assassinate President Maduro and other top officials.

Three US citizens, two Spaniards and one Czech national have been arrested on suspicion of plotting to destabilise the country, the Interior Minister said.

Calling the detainees “mercenaries”, Diosdado Cabello claimed that the CIA “is leading the operation” and that hundreds of weapons had been seized.

The US rejected the claims, which come after Washington placed 16 senior government officials under sanctions, as "categorically false".

A spokesperson for the State Department said a US military member was being held and noted "unconfirmed reports of two additional US citizens detained in Venezuela."

Cabello responded by saying the detainees had contacted "French mercenaries" from Eastern Europe and were involved in "an operation to try to attack" Venezuela.

He added that "more than 400 rifles were seized" and accused the detainees of plotting "terrorist acts."

The Venezuelan government said the Spaniards detained were linked to Madrid's National Intelligence Centre (CNI).

Spanish government sources have told local media the pair do not belong to the intelligence organisation.

"Spain denies and categorically rejects any insinuation that it is involved in a political destabilisation operation in Venezuela," a source told AFP.

The Czech Republic has yet to react the claims.

In a news conference on Saturday Cabello said: "The CIA is leading this operation, and that does not surprise us but they, the National Intelligence Centre of Spain, have always maintained a low profile knowing that the CIA operates in this area.

"These two detainees even tell us about a group of mercenaries they are looking for to bring to Venezuela with very clear objectives to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, myself, and another group of comrades who are leading our party and our revolution."