Ahead of President Nicolás Maduro's expected inauguration later this week, two U.S. citizens were among a group of seven individuals arrested in Venezuela on January 7. Maduro has branded the detainees as "mercenaries," adding to the tension surrounding his third-term.
During a speech on Tuesday, Maduro claimed that the detained U.S. citizens were "very high level," though he did not provide further details or evidence to substantiate the claims. The arrests have raised questions regarding their potential motivations and the broader political climate in Venezuela.
"Just today we've captured seven foreign mercenaries, including two important mercenaries from the United States," Maduro said, as he prepares to officially take office on Friday. His upcoming inauguration follows a highly disputed election in July 2024, which the opposition claims was rigged, alleging they had won by a landslide.
Despite the public announcement, neither the U.S. Department of State nor Colombia's foreign ministry immediately responded to requests for comment, leaving details about the arrests unclear.
This latest roundup of detainees adds to growing concerns from Venezuelan human rights groups, who have long warned about the country's pattern of arbitrary detentions. These groups have highlighted the troubling trend of a "revolving door" of prisoners, where new arrests occur even as older detainees are released, often including foreign nationals.
Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis, coupled with the strained relations between Maduro's government and Western nations, has fueled tensions within the country. The full details of the arrests remain unclear.
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The U.S. has sanctioned a top Venezuelan gang leader wanted for drug and terror crimes.
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Australia has signed a long-term defence treaty with Britain to deepen cooperation on the AUKUS nuclear submarine initiative over the next 50 years, the government announced on Saturday.
Pakistani FM Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan and the United States are 'very close' to finalising a trade agreement, suggesting the deal could be reached within days. However, U.S. officials made no mention of a specific timeline following Dar’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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