Venezuela foils election "plot"

Officials say they have foiled an international plot to disrupt Venezuela's upcoming presidential election.

Vice president Jorge Arreaza says this cache of weapons was seized from a Colombian rebel group with what he called a "right wing plan for violence."

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN VICE PRESIDENT JORGE ARREAZA, SAYING:

"We've taken apart a plan that would have tried to disrupt the electoral process or post elections."

Officials showed pictures of the alleged plotters.

The government says they wanted to sow chaos as Venezuelans choose a successor to long-time president Hugo Chavez, who died earlier this year.

Defence officials suggested the United States was behind the plot, saying some of the explosives bore hallmarks of American special forces.

It was the latest sensational claim in what has been a contentious campaign between Chavez's annointed successor, Nicolas Maduro, and the head of the country's opposition, Henrique Capriles.