The Spanish government has strongly denied the accusations made by Diosdado Cabello against José María Basoa and Andrés Martínez Adasme, the two detained Spaniards in Venezuela, whom he pointed out as individuals seeking to destabilize the country and possessing a hidden arsenal of weapons. According to sources, "Spain firmly refutes and rejects any insinuation of being involved in a political destabilization operation in Venezuela."
The government has also emphasized that "the two detainees are not part of the CNI or any other state agency," although they do not confirm the information provided about their family or that they were on vacation in the country. If this information is confirmed, Venezuela would have arbitrarily detained two Spanish citizens.
This incident further exacerbates diplomatic tensions between the two countries, especially because after the arrest, Caracas did not comply with treaties that require notifying the relevant consular authorities when detaining a foreign citizen. Thus, the Spanish government learned about it after Diosdado Cabello's statement, the Minister of Interior and Peace in Nicolás Maduro's government.
Initially, Spain sent a verbal note to the Chavista government requesting "access to the detainees" in order to verify their nationality. Yesterday, EL MUNDO spoke with the father of one of the two detainees, who stated that they were on vacation in the country.
Official sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirm that "the Spanish Consulate in Caracas, the General Directorate of Consular Affairs, and the Minister's Office are in constant contact with the families of the detainees."