Two Spanish nationals, Andrés Martínez Adasme, 32, and José María Basoa Valdovinos, 35, who were detained in Venezuela and linked to the Venezuelan National Intelligence Center (CNI) by the Chavismo government, still have an unclear situation. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that they are still demanding official and verified information from Venezuelan authorities regarding the detention of the two Spaniards, as well as clarification on the charges they are facing. The two were arrested in Puerto Ayacucho where they were on vacation, and their families reported them missing on September 9th. Both the families and the government deny that they were working for the secret service. Venezuelan Minister of Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello, implicated them in a confusing conspiracy involving the purchase of explosives with alleged members of the Vente Venezuela party led by opposition leader María Corina Machado, as well as an alleged plot to assassinate a Chavista mayor. Cabello has not presented any evidence to support these accusations but has broadcasted their police record photos on television, stating that they were in an “irregular situation, taking photos” when they were captured.
The Spanish Embassy in Caracas is in contact with the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, stating that it will provide diplomatic and consular protection to its nationals. Venezuelan authorities have not provided any further information on the case. The tension escalated after the negotiation that led to the exiled opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who had denounced fraud in the July 28 elections based on official records showing he won by over 30 points. Upon González Urrutia’s arrival in Madrid, there was pressure from the Spanish Congress to recognize him as the elected president. Pedro Sánchez is in line with the European Union’s stance but this proposition angered the head of the Venezuelan Parliament, who demanded the cutting of diplomatic and commercial ties. The situation was calmed after a meeting between the Venezuelan Foreign Minister and the Spanish Ambassador in Caracas, allowing even Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to meet with representatives from Repsol. Following these developments, the new crisis arose over the two detained Spanish citizens last weekend.
Pedro Sánchez spoke about Venezuela on Monday in a meeting at the Congress with PSOE deputies, senators, and members of the European Parliament, but did not mention the case of the detainees. He reiterated his commitment to restoring democracy in Venezuela and insisted that Maduro should publish the election records for an “impartial and independent” verification of the election results attributed to him. A few weeks ago, Venezuelan security forces also detained an American military officer who Cabello accused of being involved in plots to remove Maduro from power by force. A State Department spokesperson mentioned unconfirmed reports of two other detained American citizens in Venezuela, after Caracas announced that apart from the two Spaniards, three Americans and one Czech were also arrested in connection to the case. The United States has long advised its citizens against visiting Venezuela, and now other countries are also warning their citizens to avoid this destination and to steer clear of any ongoing protests if they are already in the country.
