Venezuela arrests five foreigners over alleged antigovernment activity

Maduro authorities announces detention of 5 foreigners, including 3 US citizens, amid post-election crackdown.

The medication of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the apprehension of 5 foreigners suspected of antigovernment activity, arsenic portion of an ongoing crackdown aft the country’s contested statesmanlike election.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said connected Thursday that 3 radical from the United States, 1 from Bolivia and 1 from Peru had been detained for alleged “terror” activities, without offering details.

“The detained foreigners talk Spanish perfectly, a indispensable request for them to impact themselves successful communities,” Cabello said connected authorities television, adding that 1 of those from the US had been detained successful the borderline authorities of Zulia.

Human rights groups accidental repression has increased successful Venezuela aft the statesmanlike contention connected July 28.

When Maduro’s authorities claimed triumph without offering the accustomed breakdown of predetermination results, the country’s absorption denounced the results arsenic fraudulent and released elector tallies that it said proved Maduro’s rival had won.

Election observers from nonprofits similar the Carter Center likewise reported that the ballot “did not conscionable planetary standards of electoral integrity”. And overseas governments similar that of the US person called connected Venezuela to merchandise the afloat results.

But Maduro has rejected the allegations of predetermination malfeasance. Instead, his government has utilized allegations of overseas meddling to assistance warrant crackdowns connected dissent.

Critics accidental Maduro and his allies person besides utilized overseas prisoners arsenic leverage successful planetary relations.

In December 2023, for instance, Venezuela released dozens of overseas prisoners successful speech for the merchandise of Maduro’s state and businessman Alex Saab from US custody. The woody was seen astatine the clip arsenic a cautious measurement towards amended relations betwixt the 2 hostile governments.

The US and Venezuela person agelong been astatine loggerheads: The US has accused Venezuela of quality rights abuses and antiauthoritarian back-sliding, portion Venezuela has criticised the US for interference successful home affairs.

Washington has besides imposed galore sanctions connected the Maduro government. But successful October 2023, nether the Barbados Agreement, the US agreed to easiness definite sanctions if Venezuela committed to “competitive and inclusive elections”, escaped of repression.

But pursuing Maduro’s declaration of victory successful July, relations betwixt Venezuela and the US deteriorated erstwhile more. The predetermination contention besides strained relations betwixt Venezuela and Latin American counterparts similar Brazil and Chile.

Last month, Cabello besides announced that 3 Americans, 2 Spaniards, and 1 Czech national had been arrested successful transportation to an alleged plot by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to assassinate Maduro.

The astir caller arrests bring the fig of foreigners detained by the Maduro authorities to astatine slightest 12. Cabello named the 3 detainees from the US arsenic David Guttenberg Guillaume, Jonathan Pagan Gonzalez and Gregory David Werber.

“The information and information of American citizens anyplace astir the satellite is our archetypal priority, and we’re going to stitchery much accusation astir this successful the hours ahead,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters astatine a quality conference.

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies