CARACAS, Venezuela — The socialist regime arrested a group of Venezuelan opposition members on Thursday, accusing them of “treason” and “conspiring” against a recent referendum to annex a region consisting of most of Guyana. The regime of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro confirmed the arrest of at least one American citizen, identified as Savoi Jandon Wright, in the sweeping crackdown on dissent. Wright was reportedly arrested in October and stands accused of being part of an alleged conspiracy against the socialist regime. The crackdown occured less than two months after the Biden Administration granted a generous sanctions relief package to the Maduro regime in exchange for vague promises of holding a “free and fair” presidential election sometime in 2024. So far, there are no indications that next year’s election will be free or fair – and no indication the Biden administration will reinstate the sanctions lifted. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced on Wednesday that the Venezuelan men and women arrested are allegedly part of a “national and international” conspiracy against Venezuela. Saab claimed that the alleged plot was being financed by American oil company ExxonMobil. “The Public Prosecutor’s Office on the occasion of the findings has requested the arrest warrants in relation to this plot of financing and conspiracy related to ExxonMobil against Venezuela to torpedo and attempt to fracture the sovereign struggle of our people for the Essequibo,” Saab said on Wednesday. The Essequibo is a disputed region currently administered by the government of Guyana but long claimed by Venezuela; it represents about two-thirds of the area of the territory of Guyana. Guyana took control of the region following an agreement in 1899 that Venezuelans have disputed for over a century. Guyana recently discovered oil deposits in the region and brokered a deal with ExxonMobil to exploit the resource, outraging Maduro. The alleged financing for the conspiracy, Saab claimed, came from “the laundering of assets of international organizations and foreign companies such as ExxonMobil.” “Such financing was materialized through crypto-assets in charge of Damian Merlo, former US telecommunications businessman and former foreign policy advisor, linked to Donald Trump and adviser to Nayib Bukele,” the Venezuelan Public Ministry statement on the arrests read. Saab also claimed that, according to the regime’s “investigations,” Wright, who is currently in police custody in Venezuela, used “cryptocurrencies and large sums in cash to evade financial controls” to allegedly finance actions against the regime’s sham referendum election. According to Saab, the men and women arrested maintained “economic relations” with Wright. The arrested were identified as Henry Alviárez, Pedro Urruchurtu, and Claudia Macero. All three are part of Vente Venezuela, the nation’s only mainstream center-right party, led by María Corina Machado, the likely – yet presently banned – candidate against socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro in 2024’s “free and fair” presidential election. A third man, Roberto Abdul, was also arrested as part of the crackdown, and is being accused of being part of the conspiracy plot. Abdul was a member of the commission that organized the opposition’s primary election process in October. The Maduro regime claims that the primary was fraudulent and opened an investigation after the nation’s regime-controlled courts issued a ruling to “nullify” its effects. “All of them will be charged with the crimes of treason, conspiracy, money laundering, and criminal association,” Saab said. ⚖️ El Ministro Público solicitó orden de aprehensión contra directivos de Súmate, Vente Venezuela por “vínculos y financiación” con la Exxon Mobil a:
Venezuela Arrests Dissidents, Including an American, After Biden Lifts Sanctions in Exchange for ‘Free’ Elections
