Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab addressed for the first time the detention of an American military member in late August, saying the decision was made because the person entered the country "with no ID or supporting documentation."
He went on to add that the person, a Navy sailor, has two nationalities: American and Mexican. "We're always attentive and vigilant so there is due process, a fair trial and an objective, independent and impartial investigation," he added.
The official, a close ally of President Nicolás Maduro, did not provide any additional information. The person was reportedly on a personal, unapproved trip, different officials told CNN last week, despite the U.S. government's advice against this. The White House confirmed the detention this week.
One official said he's being held by the country's intelligence agency (SEBIN). "The U.S. Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department. We refer you to the State Department for additional questions," an official added.
The U.S. currently advises against traveling to Venezuela, saying that American citizens have been detained for up to five years and that the U.S. government "is not generally notified of the detention of U.S. citizens in Venezuela or granted access to U.S. citizen prisoners there."
The news surfaces as the U.S. is reportedly readying new sanctions on Venezuelan government officials as they tighten their grip on power more than a month after the disputed presidential elections.
Bloomberg reported last week that the Treasury Department is close to announcing "15 individual sanctions on Maduro-affiliated officials." The official argument is that they "obstructed the holding of free and fair presidential elections," as the government claimed to have won the presidential elections despite not showing supporting documentation to back its claim.
Among those set to be sanctioned are members of the National Electoral Council (CNE), the National Assembly, the Supreme Court and law enforcement agencies.
The Biden administration has already begun taking measures in that direction, seizing on Monday an aircraft used by Maduro for personal and official purposes. Authorities cited violations of U.S. sanctions and other criminal activities for their decision, with the plane flown to Florida from the Dominican Republic.
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