Two U.S. citizens have been detained in Venezuela, along with five others, by President Nicolas Maduro, who referred to them as “mercenaries.” This comes as Maduro prepares for his upcoming inauguration for a new term.
Maduro stated that the U.S. citizens who were detained held prominent positions, but he did not offer any additional information or proof regarding their arrests.
Venezuelan President Maduro announced today that his government has apprehended seven foreign mercenaries, including two significant individuals from the United States. This development comes just before Maduro is set to begin his third term in office on Friday.
The opposition claims a landslide victory.
Maduro announced that among the detainees, there are two Colombians who were captured in undisclosed locations within Venezuela. Additionally, three others who participated in the conflict in Ukraine were also apprehended. However, he did not provide any additional information regarding their identities or specific circumstances.
Requests for comment went unanswered by both the U.S. Department of State and Colombia’s foreign ministry.
Venezuelan human rights organizations have raised concerns about a recurring pattern of prisoner rotations, where new individuals are detained while older prisoners are being released. This troubling trend also includes the arrest of foreign nationals.
In late 2023, the Venezuelan government embarked on a series of economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the country’s struggling economy.
After months of negotiations between Caracas and Washington, 10 Americans were released, while the U.S. freed Colombian businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of Maduro.
During a speech at the Miraflores presidential palace, Maduro asserted that his government’s security forces have apprehended 125 foreign mercenaries from 25 different countries. According to Maduro, these individuals had entered Venezuela with the intention of engaging in acts of terrorism against the Venezuelan people.
Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez is currently touring the region to expand his international support. Several governments in the region, including the United States, have already declared Gonzalez as the president-elect.
On Monday, President Joe Biden acknowledged Gonzalez as the remarkable individual that he is.
The vote on July 28th was a significant milestone.
The government-aligned electoral authority and Venezuela’s top court have declared that Maduro emerged as the winner of the election. However, the government has not provided detailed ballot-box level results to support this assertion.
The opposition, however, gathered thousands of scanned copies of voting machine receipts shortly after the vote. These receipts account for over 80% of votes cast and clearly show a significant victory for Gonzalez.
