CARACAS, March 22. /TASS/. The chief of staff of Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of joining a terrorist group that plotted attacks on leading political and military figures, Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said.
"The work by the intelligence and interior ministry units led to the detention of citizen Roberto Marrero, aged 49, who bears direct responsibility for organizing criminal groups," the minister said in a statement aired by the Venezolana de Television TV channel.
"We were able to eliminate another terrorist cell, which planned attacks with the participation of Colombian and Central American mercenaries on political leaders, top brass and judges, and acts of sabotage at strategically important facilities," he said.
Reverol said that "combat weapons" and a large sum of money in foreign currencies was discovered when Marrero’s home was searched.
Later in the day, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the "terrorist group" led by Marrero, was plotting attacks against hospitals and subway stations in the country’s capital Caracas.
"We are facing a large-scale conspiracy against our country, led by the American empire. I think there can be no doubt that he is not against Maduro, he is against the very existence of the republic," the Venezuelan leader said in a speech broadcast live via the Periscope app.
"The terrorist group had several targets for its attacks, such as barracks, hospitals, subway stations," he added.
Earlier, Guaido said that Marrero and Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Sergio Vergara were detained by agents of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), and their houses were searched. Later, Vergara confirmed the searches in a Twitter post, but said he was not detained.
A US Department of State spokesperson told TASS that Washington has already identified those responsible for Marrero’s arrest and is preparing retaliatory measures jointly with its partners from the Lima Group.
"The United States condemns raids by Maduro’s security services and detention of Roberto Marrero, Chief of Staff to Interim President Juan Guaido, and Luis Aguilar [Vergara’s driver]. We call for their immediate release and will hold accountable those involved," the spokesperson said in a statement. "There will be consequences for a continued crackdown."
"We believe Judge Carol Padilla, prosecutors Farid Mora Salcedo and Dinora Bustamante, and Sebin officials Danny Contreras and Angel Flores facilitated this arrest. We will be working closely with the Lima Group and other international partners on next steps," the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the European Union demanded the Venezuelan government to release Marrero immediately.
"The European Union urges Mr. Marrero to be released immediately and unconditionally, and holds the relevant authorities responsible for his safety and integrity," EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Maja Kocijancic said in a statement, adding that parliamentary immunity must be respected under all circumstances.
"The Members of Parliament should be able to perform their duties free of intimidation, as well as to uphold their role and constitutional prerogatives," she said. "Such acts undermine the international community's efforts to help foster a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis in Venezuela."
Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and parliament speaker, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital of Caracas on January 23. Several countries, including the United States, Lima Group members (excluding Mexico), as well as the Organization of American States, recognized him as president. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted these actions as an attempted coup and said that he was cutting diplomatic ties with the United States.
In contrast, Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro.