Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has detained two U.S. citizens, claiming they were part of a group of “mercenaries” plotting to destabilize his regime.
At a Glance
- Maduro announced the arrest of two American nationals among seven alleged “mercenaries”
- The group includes two Americans, two Colombians, and three Ukrainians
- Maduro claims they intended to generate violence before his third term inauguration
- No evidence has been presented to substantiate the accusations
- The arrests are part of a pattern of detaining U.S. citizens on charges of “terrorism”
Maduro’s Bold Claim and Lack of Evidence
In a move that has escalated tensions between Venezuela and the United States, President Nicolás Maduro announced the detention of two American citizens. The Venezuelan leader claims the individuals were part of a larger group of “mercenaries” aiming to destabilize his regime. This group, totaling seven people, includes not only the two Americans but also two Colombians and three Ukrainians.
“We have captured at this hour seven foreign mercenaries, including two important U.S. mercenaries in North America. They are captured. They were caught with the kilos, compadre, of the highest level. Convicted, and I am sure that in the next few hours they will be confessed, they came to carry out terrorist actions against the peace of Venezuela,” Maduro said.
The accusations are serious, and allege that these individuals were planning to carry out violent acts in Venezuela before his inauguration for a third term. However, the lack of concrete evidence supporting these claims has raised eyebrows among international observers and human rights advocates.
#Venezuela: Since the @WSJ's report on the @NicolasMaduro regime's hostage diplomacy, the regime has updated its numbers. @dcabellor says the regime holds more than 100 foreigners.
The regime is using detentions against governments that may opt to deny its democratic legitimacy. https://t.co/b9xtKxdrJY pic.twitter.com/9i9Y0BfK6X
— Ryan Berg, PhD (@RyanBergPhD) January 8, 2025
A Pattern of Detentions
The arrest of these two Americans is not an isolated incident. It follows a troubling pattern of detentions that have occurred since a disputed presidential election in Venezuela. In recent months, four Americans were arrested in October, and three more in September, all under similar accusations of plotting against the Maduro regime.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello has claimed that over 125 “mercenaries” have been detained since the election. However, the lack of transparency and due process in these cases has led many to question the validity of the arrests and the motives behind them.
Hostage Diplomacy?
There is growing concern that the Maduro regime may be using these foreign detainees as bargaining chips in international negotiations. This tactic, often referred to as “hostage diplomacy,” has been employed by Venezuela in the past. Previous prisoner swaps with the United States have involved the release of Maduro’s relatives and associates in exchange for detained Americans.
HAW Daily Brief 1/2 Venezuelan Regime Hunts for Foreign Hostages to Pressure Its Rivalshttps://t.co/xqBEoBR9Kp
Washington D.C. – The Wall Street Journal
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has in recent years secured the freedom of his top financier & two of his nephews in prisoner…— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid) January 6, 2025
The timing of these latest arrests, coming at the tail end of the Biden administration’s term, has led some analysts to speculate that Maduro may be positioning himself for potential negotiations with the next U.S. administration. This strategy could be aimed at leveraging these detentions for political or economic concessions.
