The arrests may stoke tensions between the Andean neighbours ahead of Colombia’s presidential election in May. They follow months of jibes between the governments of Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe and Chavez.
Interior Minister Tareck El Aissami said the detainees were arrested during the last two weeks in two different states, and that a camera containing photos of electricity substations, transmission systems and roads was found among their possessions, along with documents in English.
“All these elements help corroborate the accusations made by President Hugo Chavez … of sabotage in the electricity system,” El Aissami told television station Venevision, adding that the nationality of the detainees was “a worrying factor.”
Last month, Chavez accused “counter-revolutionaries” opposed to his socialist government of cutting power cables to worsen the OPEC nation’s electricity crisis, which has forced the government to ration power across much of the country.
The electricity shortages could boost opposition prospects in legislative elections due in September.
Amid the worst drought and highest temperatures in more than a century because of the El Nino weather phenomenon, the reservoirs that feed Venezuela’s hydroelectric dams are at historically low levels.
The water level in its principal El Guri reservoir was only 9.5 meters (31 feet) above one of the dam’s main turbines. Rain began falling across the country this week, raising hopes of an end to the drought.
A lack of investment to maintain and expand Venezuela’s electricity system during a period of rapidly rising consumption also lies behind the electricity crisis.
Since late December, the government has put in place energy saving measures, and light industry and businesses have been told to slash electricity use by 20 per cent or face being cut off by the authorities — even as Venezuela’s economy suffers a recession that led to a contraction of 3.3 per cent last year.
