By The Diary
06 Sep 2024, 02:00 AM EDT
The arrest of a U.S. military officer in Venezuela occurred after authorities determined that he “entered without any documentation or support” for his visit, explained Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab, without providing further details.
“He came without any documentation, without any basis for what he was doing in the country, and he is in the process of doing so at the moment. That is all I can reveal, I cannot say anything else,” Saab told reporters, Deutsche Welle reported.
The soldier has dual nationality
The prosecutor also said that the detainee “has dual nationality” and that the “main nationality of this citizen (is) Mexican.” “We are always attentive, vigilant to ensure that there is due process,” he added.
It should be noted that the identity of the American soldier was not provided, nor was the exact reason for his being in custody.
According to U.S. officials, the Navy officer was detained on August 30 in the middle of a personal trip. The U.S. Navy is investigating this and “working closely with the State Department.”
Americans are asked not to travel to Venezuela
The State Department is discouraging Americans from traveling to Venezuela because it believes there is a “high risk of unjust detention.” The military officer’s arrest took place amid a serious political crisis in the Caribbean country.
The United States does not recognize the reelection of Nicolás Maduro, which the opposition has called fraudulent and claims the victory of its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. The prosecutor confirmed the arrest warrant against González, as well as the accusation of fraud in the presidential elections of July 28.
Political crisis
He also said he was weighing “options” against Maduro, five years after he imposed sanctions on the country, which is also embroiled in an electoral controversy surrounding the president’s first re-election.
The political crisis also sparked a wave of protests across the country that resulted in 27 deaths – two of them military personnel – 192 people injured and 2,400 arrested, Deutsche Welle reported.
The United States has announced that it is considering taking further action against the government of Nicolás Maduro to show that all of its political decisions have consequences.
With information from Deutsche Welle
Continue reading:
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