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Venezuela says it has arrested six foreigners, including a U.S. Navy SEAL, for an alleged plot to destabilize the country that has been in crisis since disputed elections earlier this year.Interior minister Diosdado Cabello claimed that the alleged plot was led by the CIA, and aimed at assassinating the countrys leader Nicols Maduro. The US State Department rejected the claim as categorically false.Video above: U.S. Navy sailor is being held in Venezuela according to several U.S. officialsThe accusation comes as Venezuelas opposition, multiple Latin American leaders and the United States refuse to recognize Maduros disputed election win, which has been followed by deadly protests during which thousands were arrested.In a news conference on Saturday, Cabello identified the purported Navy SEAL as William Joseph Castaeda Gmez, and claimed he was the leader of the operation. The minister also named two other detained Americans: David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan.The minister said that in addition to the Americans, two Spanish citizens Jos Mara Basoa Valdovinos and Andrs Martnez Adasme and one Czech citizen, Jan Darmovzal, were arrested. Venezuelan authorities have also seized 400 US rifles linked to the alleged plot, he said.The CIA is at the forefront of this operation, Cabello said in the news conference, claiming that Spains National Intelligence Center was also involved. That does not surprise us at all, he said.He alleged that the operation had very clear objectives of assassinating President Nicols Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan politicians, including himself and the vice president.The State Department denied the claims. A spokesperson confirmed on Saturday a member of the US military had been arrested in Venezuela and that the department was aware of unconfirmed reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained in the country.Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false, the spokesperson added. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.The department is seeking additional information, the spokesperson said.A Spanish foreign ministry source told Reuters it was asking Venezuela for more information.The Spanish embassy has sent a verbal note to the Venezuelan government asking for access to the detained citizens in order to verify their identities and their nationality and in order to know what they are accused of exactly, the source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.Political crisisVenezuela is still grappling with the fallout from its presidential election in July, which saw Maduro claim a third term despite global skepticism about the result and outcry from the countrys opposition movement.The coalition backing opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez insists the vote was stolen, publishing online vote tally sheets which experts say indicate Maduro actually lost the presidency by a significant margin.The U.S. has acknowledged Gonzalez as the candidate who received the most votes in that election, but has not formally recognized him as president-elect of Venezuela.Last week, Gonzalez flew to Spain, fleeing Venezuela after an arrest warrant was issued accusing him of terrorism, conspiracy and other crimes.On Thursday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials aligned with Maduro for allegedly obstructing the election.The U.S. also announced that a Venezuelan plane used by Maduro for international travel was seized in the Dominican Republic; a second plane linked to Maduro is under 24-hour surveillance by authorities in the Dominican Republic, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN.Meanwhile, inside the country, Maduros government has cracked down on dissent the harshest crackdown in years, according to Human Rights Watch. Protests have been fiercely repressed, some 2,400 people have been arrested, and many others are now fleeing the country.