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An “American spy” was captured near two Venezuelan refineries after authorities dismantled a plan to “cause an explosion” at another refinery complex, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Friday.
“We have captured yesterday (…) a US spy spying on the Falcón state, the Amuay and Cardón refineries,” from the refining center of Paraguaná (northwest), the president said in a televised address.
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It is about “a marine who was serving as a marine in CIA bases in Iraq” and was captured with “heavy weapons” and “great amount of dollars in cash”, according to the governor.
The arrest occurred after authorities “discovered and dismantled” on Wednesday a “plan to cause an explosion” at the El Palito refinery, the closest to Caracas located in the Carabobo state (center), Maduro continued.
The president did not offer details of his place of detention, but affirmed that the detainee is in the “declaration phase.”
Last August, Americans Luke Alexander Denman and Airan Berry were sentenced to 20 years in prison in Venezuela, accused of terrorism, among other crimes, for a failed armed incursion into the Caribbean country last May.
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Hours earlier, the Maduro government announced a “contingency plan” to regulate the “supply of fuel” in the face of the serious gasoline shortage facing the Caribbean country.
Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world, but its production is in free fall: from 3.2 million barrels a day it produced two years ago to 400,000 barrels a day in July.
Experts attribute the collapse to failed policies, lack of investment and millionaire corruption cases, while Maduro assures that it is the result of economic sanctions imposed by Washington, which calls him a “dictator” and seeks to promote his departure from power.
It’s a war of revenge for the gringo empire
“It is a war of revenge by the gringo empire against Venezuela to prevent Venezuela from producing all petroleum derivatives,” said the president.
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The former oil power went from being an exporter to importing fuel from countries like Iran, one of Maduro’s main allies, along with Russia, Turkey and Cuba.
Between last May and June, Tehran sent five oil tankers to Venezuela with 1.5 million barrels of fuel and supplies. The shipments helped ease Venezuela for several weeks, but the shortages are returning.
AFP
