Great Satan US denies attempt to destabilize Venezuelan government

US says it is not making any effort to destabilize the Venezuelan government after Caracas arrested an American filmmaker accused of fomenting post-election violence in the South American nation on behalf of the US government.
According to US State Department spokesman, Patrick Ventrell, on Friday, “The US continues to categorically reject any allegations of US government efforts to destabilize the Venezuelan government or to harm anyone in Venezuela.”

On April 25, Venezuela arrested the 35-year-old US filmmaker identified as Timothy Tracy.

Following the arrest, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro issued a statement saying, “I have personally ordered Timothy Tracy’s arrest on suspicion of creating violence in the cities of this country.”

Referring to the arrest of the US citizen in Venezuela, Ventrell said, “We are aware of the arrest of a US citizen in Caracas…. Because of privacy considerations, we are unable to comment on the specific case further at this time.”

This is while, the Venezuelan Interior Ministry says the American filmmaker works for US intelligence.

Venezuela’s Interior and Justice Minister Miguel Rodriguez has said in a statement that Timothy Tracy “belongs to some intelligence organization,” since “he is trained and he knows how to infiltrate, and how to handle sources and security information.”

Tracy is accused of paying political opponents in Venezuela to attend in violent street protests which have left at least seven people dead and over 60 others injured after Maduro’s election win.

Maduro was declared the winner of Venezuela’s presidential election on April 14. He won 50.7 percent of the vote against 49.1 percent for the opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles, with a difference of 235,000 ballots.

On March 8, Maduro became Venezuela’s acting president, following the death of late President Hugo Chavez, who lost a two-year-long battle with cancer on March 5. Maduro has promised to continue the socialist policies of the former leader.