Caracas, March 30, 2025 — The arrest of Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, a U.S. Navy SEAL veteran, in Venezuela has ignited a serious diplomatic standoff between Washington and Caracas, with Venezuela accusing him of leading a foreign-backed plot to assassinate President Nicolás Maduro and destabilize the country.
Castañeda, a Petty Officer First Class and former elite Navy SEAL, was detained earlier this month in Caracas while reportedly travelling for personal reasons. But Venezuelan authorities claim he is no tourist. According to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Castañeda was the “ringleader” of an international conspiracy involving U.S. intelligence and European operatives to carry out political violence on Venezuelan soil.
“This man wasn’t here for vacation,” Cabello declared during a nationally broadcast press conference. “He came with a mission—and it was armed and dangerous.”
Venezuela’s Charges
Venezuela says it has arrested six foreigners tied to the operation—three Americans, two Spaniards, and one Czech citizen—and seized more than 400 U.S.-origin rifles allegedly meant for use in an attempted coup. The government accuses them of plotting to assassinate Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, and Cabello himself.
Castañeda is now at the center of these explosive accusations. His military background, elite training, and presence in a politically volatile country have made him the face of a story that is rapidly escalating into an international crisis.
He is being portrayed by Venezuela as a foreign agent, working under the direction of the CIA and Spanish intelligence, with ties to Venezuelan opposition leaders and alleged foreign mercenaries from France and Eastern Europe.
Washington Denies All Involvement
The U.S. State Department swiftly rejected the allegations, calling them “categorically false” and reaffirming that the United States “continues to support a peaceful, democratic solution in Venezuela.”
A senior U.S. official confirmed Castañeda’s detention but insisted he was not acting on behalf of the U.S. government. “He was not on assignment. He was traveling privately. We have no role in this alleged operation,” the official said.
The State Department says it is also investigating reports that two other Americans, David Estrella and Aaron Barrett Logan, have been detained in the same case.
Castañeda’s arrest is particularly sensitive because of who he is: not just a U.S. citizen, but a highly trained SEAL veteran from a classified West Coast unit. According to multiple defence sources, he had operated in complex theatres before and received advanced special warfare training.
Venezuela is framing his profile as proof of a “precision-led, foreign-directed sabotage mission.” But U.S. officials argue that Venezuela is using Castañeda’s military background as a political weapon to justify its own crackdown on dissent.
His dual identity—as both a trained warrior and a detained foreigner—has made him a potent symbol in the propaganda battle now playing out between Washington and Caracas.
A Tense Backdrop
Castañeda’s arrest comes just weeks after Venezuela’s highly controversial July 28 election, which saw Maduro declared the winner despite strong evidence of fraud. The U.S. and European Union have not recognized the results and instead supported opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who has since fled to Spain to avoid arrest.
The election has triggered widespread protests, mass arrests, and a surge in international sanctions. Venezuela’s government claims the alleged plot involving Castañeda was part of a broader strategy to overthrow Maduro and restore power to the opposition.
What Comes Next?
With no formal charges made public, rising international pressure, and limited consular access, the case of Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez could define the next phase of U.S.–Venezuelan relations.
He could face years in Venezuelan custody if convicted—unless diplomatic negotiations succeed. He remains at the centre of a geopolitical storm, caught between two governments locked in deepening mistrust.
