US denies claim CIA tried to overthrow, kill Venezuelan President Maduro

The State Department on Sunday denied Venezuela's claim the U.S. was trying to overthrow the government and assassinate President Nicolas Maduro, saying the U.S. seeks a democratic solution to the political crisis.

Venezuela Interior minister Diosdado Cabello alleged Saturday the CIA was leading an operation headed by U.S. Navy member Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez, who was detained in Venezuela with two other Americans and a Czech citizen. Cabello also said 400 U.S. rifles bound for "extremist groups" in his country had been seized.

"We from Venezuela demand that the Unites States government clarify the participation of its agency, that it clarify (its plans) to traffic arms to overthrow a democratically constituted government," Cabello said.