Venezuelan President Maduro denounces links between the 'Albanian mafia' and the Ecuadorian government to 'sabotage' the elections in Venezuela. 

On 25 May 2025, Venezuelans are set to elect governors and National Assembly members. 

He further claimed the Albanian mafia sent alleged mercenaries from Ecuador, the U.S. and Colombia to Venezuela to plant explosives and disrupt the electoral process. 

This follows Blackwater founder Erik Prince's visit to Ecuador in early April. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry reported it has not received any information from Venezuela about the detention of Colombian nationals. Venezuela recently banned flights from Colombia, with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announcing the suspension as “immediate.”