Venezuela arrests U.S. national Timothy Hallett Tracy, claiming he was sent to lead "right wing destabilization"

Defendant's intent was to launch a civil war, Maduro government charges

*Updated June 5 - Tracy deported after charges are dropped*
Guadalajara -
In Caracas today the leftist government of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro announced the arrest of U.S. citizen Timothy Hallett Tracy on charges he was preparing a "violent ambush against state authority."

Some news broadcasts referred to Tracy, 35, as "the gringo." Reports say he was born in Michigan in February 1978.

Maduro - a devoted disciple of the late Hugo Chávez, who remains an icon of the Bolivarian Republic left - was named interim president by Chávez several weeks before he died on Mar. 5. On Apr. 14 Maduro defeated center right candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski in an election to determine who would lead the country for the next six years.

But it was a close contest, with Maduro winning by less than two percent of the popular vote. Despite protests by Capriles supporters alleging fraud, and some street violence resulting in deaths, Maduro was quickly sworn in and appointed his cabinet of government ministers.

The government offered few details of its case against Tracy, who allegedly was a member of a conspiracy denominated "Conexión Abril" - the April Connection. Today's announcement said the conspirators had been under investigation by Venezuela Intelligence Services since October 2012. The implication was that Tracy was working with right wing political forces in the country to assist Capriles by fomenting street dissent. The former candidate was not accused of direct participation.

Some Spanish language news sources monitored in this country reported that Tracy was in charge of training and motivating right wing student groups opposed to the Maduro government. One report said 500 instructional videotapes had been seized as evidence by government investigators.

Maduro administration spokesmen said that Tracy "clearly was trained as an intelligence agent - we have no doubt about that. He knows how to operate clandestinely, knows how to take care of himself in difficult situations. He received financing from Foreign ONGS (Non-Governmental Organizations)."

"We have the documents, direct communications, which prove that it was his intention to start a civil war, which would then lead to intervention by the United States in our country," said one official, who alleged that Tracy was involved in the recent post-election disturbances which killed nine and left 80 injured.

A government statement called the conspirators "fascists."

Maurdo's wife, Cilia Flores, is both the Attorney General and now the First Lady of Venezuela. She did not comment on the case, although her governmental department presumably would be involved in a prosecution of Tracy.

Maduro, a former bus driver, was a Chávez protege who deftly converted himself into heir apparent

Today was not the first time Maduro has alleged that the U.S. was behind plots to topple Venezuela's leftist regime. The day before Chávez died, Maduro suggested that the deceased president had been given cancer by American agents. The president of Bolivia echoed those thoughts several days later, after returning from Chávez' funeral. On Mar. 4 Maduro expelled two U.S. military attachés from the country, contending they were agents provocateurs sent by Washington for "destabilizing projects." The U.S. retaliated several days later by expelling two Venezuelan diplomats. Hugo Chávez' cancer was caused by "imperialist poisoning."

On Mar. 17, Maduro said during a television interview that "right wing forces" in the United States were behind a plot to assassinate Capriles, to sow confusion in the country and promote violence in advance of the upcoming election. Maduro named Roger Noriega, a former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States and fervent Chávez critic, as a ringleader of the alleged conspiracy.

"I call upon president Barack Obama and the government of the United States to act responsibly. Roger Noriega, Otto Reich and other officials in the Pentagon and the CIA are behind plans to assassinate the presidential candidate on the right, in order to create chaos in Venezuela. I have solid information they intend to throw the blame on (my) government," said Maduro during that interview. Venezuelan president warns Obama of U.S. plot to assassinate opposition candidate.

Apr. 27 - Tracy makes first appearance in Venezuelan courtroom, as prosecutors announce charges
May 6 - Venezuelan justice minister: Timothy Hallett Tracy "neither a photographer nor film maker"
June 5 - Venezuela deports Timothy Hallet Tracy after dropping espionage and sedition charges

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