Venezuelan authorities have apprehended a minimum of five American citizens over recent months, according to a US official with knowledge of the situation. These detentions occur against a backdrop of intensifying pressure tactics from the United States against the administration of President Nicolás Maduro. While the specific circumstances surrounding each case differ, with some individuals potentially implicated in narcotics trafficking, US intelligence agencies are actively gathering details regarding the Americans’ activities in Venezuela prior to their arrest. Official sources within the Trump administration posit that these detentions represent a strategic maneuver by the Maduro government to accumulate bargaining power. This approach finds precedent in the actions of Venezuela’s ally, Russia, which has historically detained US citizens to gain diplomatic leverage. The US pressure campaign has included targeted strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking, a CIA-led drone operation against a Venezuelan port facility, and a stringent blockade on oil shipments. Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have publicly condemned the Maduro regime as illegitimate and linked to narcotics operations, though they stop short of explicitly endorsing a policy of regime change. In response, President Maduro has asserted that Venezuela’s national defense systems ensure territorial integrity and public safety. The situation is further complicated by Venezuela’s record of holding political prisoners, a point frequently raised by human rights organizations following the contentious 2024 election.
Venezuela has detained several Americans as tensions with US rise
