Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government has arrested a fourth American citizen, according to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a staunch Maduro ally.
The American was detained in Caracas after allegedly taking photos of electrical, oil, and military facilities, accused of plotting “against Venezuela”.
This arrest is the latest in a string of foreigners detained in the government’s post-election crackdown.
Cabello claimed the American had previously traveled to Venezuela and was arrested after his “guide” reported him to the government. Over the weekend, Cabello accused the CIA of orchestrating an assassination plot against Maduro, which United States State Department officials have firmly denied.
The United States State Department acknowledged “unconfirmed reports” of the additional arrest and is working to gather more information, constrained in their ability to help American citizens in Venezuela.
A spokesperson stated, “Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.”
This arrest follows a prisoner swap last year, where 10 detained Americans were released in exchange for Maduro ally Alex Saab, now a high-profile government member.
Maduro’s government has detained over 2,000 people, refused to release election results, and ordered opposition candidate Edmundo González’s arrest, who has fled to Spain.
A United Nations report detailed “unprecedented levels of violence” in Venezuela, including torture, sexual abuse, and raids on private homes without warrants.
A U.N. fact-finding mission member, Patricia Tappatá Valdez, described the treatment of detainees, including “torture, electric shocks, beating with blunt objects, suffocation with plastic bags, immersion in cold water, and forced sleep deprivation.”
Maduro faces escalating tensions with the international community, with the Biden administration imposing sanctions on 16 Maduro allies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken assured opposition leaders Edmundo González and María Corina Machado that the U.S. would strive to ensure the will of Venezuelan voters is respected and hold Maduro accountable.
