Venezuela detains several Americans amid US pressure: Report

ISTANBUL

Venezuelan authorities have detained multiple American citizens since the Trump administration initiated its campaign of military and economic pressure against the country, The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing a US official.

The individuals taken into custody reportedly include three dual nationals holding both Venezuelan and American passports along with two US citizens who do not appear to have ties to Venezuela, according to the official.

The official said while some of the detainees face legitimate criminal charges, the US administration is considering whether to officially designate at least two of them as wrongfully detained.

Neither the US State Department, the US Embassy in Colombia, which manages Venezuelan affairs, nor Venezuela's Communication Ministry offered comment regarding the detentions, according to the newspaper.

These arrests occur alongside heightened US military operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that began in September.

Washington claims these operations are targeting drug trafficking, with at least 105 people reportedly killed in 29 strikes.

Last week, President Donald Trump said the US recently carried out strikes on “a big plant or a big facility...where the ships come from." He did not specify which US agency carried out the attack, though CNN reported that CIA conducted it.

The US campaign against Caracas also involves wider pressure tactics, including the seizure of vessels, oil tanker blockades, and a growing military presence near Venezuelan waters, actions that Caracas has condemned as acts of "international piracy."