A United States service man has been detained in Venezuela, according to the State Department. On Saturday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that three Americans, two Spaniards, and a Czech had been jailed on charges of attempting to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and topple the government, according to Reuters. The State Department disputed the charges in a statement received by Fox News Digital, with spokesman Matt Miller claiming “any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false.” Miller acknowledged the imprisonment of the military member, and said the State Department was aware of “unconfirmed reports” that Venezuelan officials seized two more Americans.

The Associated Press identified the American service member as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, a Navy member. The detentions coincide with an international debate over Venezuela’s recent presidential election, which was marred by claims of fraud. While Venezuelan officials declared Maduro the winner in July, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated last month that “overwhelming evidence” indicated Maduro’s opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez had the most votes.

During a press conference on Saturday, Cabello said that the detainees were involved in plans to assassinate Maduro and other leaders. “These groups seek to seize the country’s wealth, and we as a government will respond firmly to any destabilisation attempt,” Cabello said, adding that officials had seized approximately 400 firearms made in the United States.

The United States State Department refuted the claims. The United States “continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela,” Miller told reporters.

A Navy sailor was seized in Caracas, Venezuela, last week while on personal travel.

A foreign ministry source told Reuters that it has requested additional information from Venezuelan officials. “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,” a source informed me.