The Fort Worth Press - Venezuela arrests two Americans, five other 'mercenaries'

USD -
AED 3.672989
AFN 71.498384
ALL 91.375029
AMD 391.160458
ANG 1.790208
AOA 917.000052
ARS 1072.800695
AUD 1.589195
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.705782
BAM 1.811219
BBD 2.018475
BDT 121.482648
BGN 1.802698
BHD 0.376971
BIF 2926
BMD 1
BND 1.343366
BOB 6.907601
BRL 5.692802
BSD 3.495
BTN 85.449031
BWP 13.836501
BYN 3.271549
BYR 19600
BZD 2.008011
CAD 1.432565
CDF 2870.999759
CHF 0.88285
CLF 0.024908
CLP 955.839761
CNY 7.268101
CNH 7.280205
COP 4153.75
CRC 502.211006
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 102.050366
CZK 22.988495
DJF 177.720185
DKK 6.87673
DOP 63.324964
DZD 133.712147
EGP 50.568902
ERN 15
ETB 129.849787
EUR 0.921645
FJD 2.322499
FKP 0.773835
GBP 0.770995
GEL 2.760391
GGP 0.773835
GHS 15.454482
GIP 0.773835
GMD 72.127796
GNF 8649.682527
GTQ 7.713223
GYD 209.94982
HKD 7.78277
HNL 25.564942
HRK 6.941603
HTG 130.445587
HUF 372.296894
IDR 16718.576893
ILS 3.701965
IMP 0.773835
INR 85.554357
IQD 1308.299078
IRR 42104.284763
ISK 133.051944
JEP 0.773835
JMD 156.330273
JOD 0.70906
JPY 150.114501
KES 129.247253
KGS 86.535048
KHR 3993.237165
KMF 455.492709
KPW 900.019816
KRW 1471.238741
KWD 0.308329
KYD 0.831751
KZT 503.440561
LAK 21634.158301
LBP 89322.563868
LKR 294.670386
LRD 199.943579
LSL 18.386538
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.811016
MAD 9.629604
MDL 17.958258
MGA 4670.178386
MKD 56.942607
MMK 2099.510008
MNT 3481.383862
MOP 8.013924
MRU 39.697342
MUR 45.624205
MVR 15.4421
MWK 1731.877317
MXN 20.45005
MYR 4.436466
MZN 63.884802
NAD 18.386538
NGN 1536.893581
NIO 36.760755
NOK 10.40773
NPR 136.951137
NZD 1.744181
OMR 0.384995
PAB 1
PEN 3.668903
PGK 4.090104
PHP 57.238189
PKR 279.631053
PLN 3.872133
PYG 7946.798552
QAR 3.639572
RON 4.608694
RSD 108.488768
RUB 84.529386
RWF 1418.368583
SAR 3.74987
SBD 8.500308
SCR 14.484863
SDG 600.465319
SEK 9.913065
SGD 1.343437
SHP 0.785843
SLE 22.830348
SLL 20969.501083
SOS 570.385514
SRD 36.855947
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.749972
SYP 13002.468687
SZL 18.386538
THB 34.186323
TJS 10.900219
TMT 3.497766
TND 3.103211
TOP 2.407834
TRY 37.92291
TTD 6.767183
TWD 33.248604
TZS 2646.107198
UAH 41.255737
UGX 3649.561079
UYU 42.148301
UZS 12911.275778
VES 69.589677
VND 25640.752098
VUV 123.375609
WST 2.83707
XAF 607.323613
XAG 0.029609
XAU 0.00032
XCD 2.707403
XDR 0.752731
XOF 607.323613
XPF 110.484353
YER 246.006073
ZAR 18.840565
ZMK 9001.19551
ZMW 28.143801
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    68

    0%

  • RYCEF

    -0.2700

    9.78

    -2.76%

  • CMSC

    0.0600

    22.5

    +0.27%

  • GSK

    -0.2300

    37.64

    -0.61%

  • CMSD

    0.0100

    22.83

    +0.04%

  • SCS

    0.1400

    11.46

    +1.22%

  • RELX

    0.3100

    50.98

    +0.61%

  • NGG

    0.0000

    65.78

    0%

  • BCC

    3.1600

    102.07

    +3.1%

  • AZN

    -0.3800

    72.22

    -0.53%

  • RIO

    -0.3300

    59.9

    -0.55%

  • JRI

    0.0600

    13.04

    +0.46%

  • BTI

    -0.8500

    40.25

    -2.11%

  • BP

    0.0000

    33.81

    0%

  • VOD

    -0.1500

    9.12

    -1.64%

  • BCE

    -0.9600

    21.82

    -4.4%

Venezuela arrests two Americans, five other 'mercenaries'
Venezuela arrests two Americans, five other 'mercenaries' / Photo: © AFP

Venezuela arrests two Americans, five other 'mercenaries'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday announced the arrest of seven foreigners -- including two Americans -- whom he accused of being "mercenaries" trying to prevent him from being sworn-in for another six years in power.

Text size:

Maduro said the Americans, two Colombian "hitmen" and three "mercenaries" from the war in Ukraine were involved in plotting unspecified "terrorist acts" ahead of his planned inauguration Friday.

"I am sure that in the next few hours they will confess," Maduro said in a broadcast on state television, before declaring a mass deployment of police and military across the country.

The announcement of Americans being detained came just hours after President Joe Biden welcomed exiled Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in the United States.

During the meeting, Biden backed a "peaceful transfer back to democratic rule" in Venezuela and warned against further repression inside the country.

The United States and several of Venezuela's democratic neighbours believe Gonzalez Urrutia won a July presidential election by a landslide and that official results were falsified.

The opposition has called for "millions" of Venezuelans to turn out in protest Thursday to prevent Maduro from retaining power and being officially sworn in.

They face an uphill battle. The 62-year-old Maduro and his political mentor Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013, have between them ruled Venezuela for the last quarter century.

Both have swatted aside waves of international and domestic pressure, retaining power through populist appeal, disputed elections and the might of the military, police and paramilitary gangs.

- 'Hooded men' -

Faced with a new challenge, Maduro has again turned to the security forces to dull international and domestic pressure.

His forces have detained several foreigners, including an Argentine policeman, rounded up local opponents and targeted family members of opposition leaders in hiding.

Gonzalez Urrutia said Tuesday his son-in-law Rafael Tudares was kidnapped from a Caracas street, spirited away in a gold-colored van.

The father of his grandkids was "intercepted by hooded men, dressed in black" during the morning school run.

Tudares remains "missing at this time," the 75-year-old diplomat-turned-opposition-politician said in a social media post.

Opposition figurehead Maria Corina Machado said Tuesday her family had also been targeted.

In a message from hiding inside Venezuela, she accused "agents of the regime" of surrounding her mother's house, flying drones overhead and cutting power to the neighborhood.

"My mom is 84 years old, she's sick with chronic health problems" she posted on X, "Maduro and company, there is no limit to your evil. Cowards."

She has called for supporters to turn out in "millions" on Thursday and said she would be there herself.

Meanwhile masses of security services have been deployed to the streets of Caracas, with Russian assault rifles handed out to pro-regime militia members parading at the presidential palace.

A pro-Maduro rally is also planned for Thursday.

It is unclear whether the opposition can convince Venezuelans, wearied by decades of economic crisis and fearful of government vengeance, to demonstrate in large numbers once again.

More than 20 people were killed in mass protests and rioting after the election, and nearly 200 were wounded.

Another 2,400 people were arrested in a sweeping crackdown on dissent, of whom around 1,500 have since been freed, according to authorities.

Carol Pedroso, professor of international relations at the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, told AFP the opposition was "unlikely" to oust Maduro in the short term unless it "has a trick up its sleeve."

Most experts agree that the role of the armed forces will be key. So far there has been little sign they will split with Maduro.

When Gonzalez Urrutia recently called for the armed forces to recognize him as their commander-in-chief it was summarily rebuffed.

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino insisted the "loyalty, obedience and subordination" of the armed forces was for Maduro.

- 'The last straw' -

Meanwhile millions of Venezuelans have voted with their feet.

Under Maduro, the economy of the oil-rich and once-wealthy has imploded.

More than seven million Venezuelans -- almost a quarter of the population -- have sought a better life abroad.

Faced with the prospect of six more years of economic chaos, international sanctions and domestic repression, more are packing their bags.

Susej Ramos, a 30-year-old nurse, told AFP Maduro's reelection claim was "the last straw" for her.

She and her brother plan to leave later this year, hoping to reach the United States.

J.P.Cortez--TFWP