US Navy sailor detained by law enforcement in Venezuela: US officials
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State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says the US is closely monitoring the detention of the military service member and is seeking additional information.
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In this Jan. 24, 2019 file photo, the US flag flies outside the US embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. (AP)
A US Navy sailor has been detained in Venezuela after traveling there allegedly on "personal leave" without the required authorization from US military authorities, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two US officials.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not provide further details, including the reasons for the sailor's detention or whether Venezuelan authorities had formally notified the US government.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed during a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the US is closely monitoring the detention of the military service member and is seeking additional information.
Another US official mentioned that the Navy is investigating reports that the sailor was detained around August 30 "while on personal travel to Venezuela."
The incident comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas following Venezuela's presidential election on July 28, which saw incumbent President Nicolas Maduro declared the winner.
The announcement sparked Western-backed riots, resulting in over two dozen deaths and the arrest of more than 2,400 people. The opposition claims it won by a large margin.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) had announced Maduro as the winner with 52% of the votes, but the results had been met with rejection from the far-right opposition, the United States, the European Union, and several Latin American countries, calling on Venezuelan authorities to publish election data.
The CNE confirmed that it has been unable to release the vote breakdown due to a "cyber-terrorist attack" on its systems.
The Biden administration had previously agreed to ease sanctions imposed during Donald Trump's presidency if Maduro permitted free elections. However, most of the sanctions were reinstated after allegations that Maduro failed to honor this commitment.
The announcement on Wednesday also comes after the United States pirated on Monday a private aircraft used by Maduro in the Dominican Republic and transported it to Florida, a move Maduro condemned as "piracy", while Washington justified it based on alleged sanctions violations.
The following day, the US condemned an arrest warrant issued in Venezuela for former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia under charges of conspiracy, corruption, sabotage, and fraud [forgery of official documents], and warned of further actions against Maduro.
