According to reports from multiple sources, a U.S. Navy Sailor has been detained in Venezuela and is being held by President Maduro’s security service, SEBIN. The Pentagon has confirmed it is aware of the situation and is coordinating with the State Department on the situation.
Here’s what we know so far, according to CNN:
A defense official told CNN, “we are aware of reports that a US Navy Sailor was detained on or about August 30, 2024, by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities while on personal travel to Venezuela. The US Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department. We refer you to the State Department for additional questions.
“We are aware of reports of the detention of an individual in Venezuela,” a State Department spokesperson said
“We have no further information to share at this time,” the spokesperson said.
Tensions are sure to increase between the U.S. and Venezuela with this latest development, as this comes on the heels of a U.S. Homeland Security operation that seized Venezuela’s “Air Force One” from the tarmac in the Dominican Republic, citing “national security” and U.S. sanctions against Venezuela – as we reported here.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott was quick to chime in on social media concerning this developing story:
Maduro has been holding a U.S. sailor for a week with zero explanation. We need answers NOW.
How many Americans are going to be unjustly held by enemies because of Biden and Harris' weakness? https://t.co/537k2a4qjz
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) September 4, 2024
Allegedly the the U.S. Sailor has been in the custody of the Maduro’s Intelligence Agency for five full days, with the news only just now breaking. It is unclear if the Pentagon or State Department was aware of the detainment prior to the story breaking today.
According to the CNN story referenced earlier, the White House is “in touch” with Venezuela, even as the weakness of the Biden-Harris White House is already being called into question for increasing the likelihood of these types of events involving U.S. citizens across the globe.
The White House said Wednesday that they are “in touch” with Venezuelan authorities to get more information about the situation, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
“We’re obviously in touch, as appropriate as you think we would be with Venezuela authorities to try to get more knowledge and information about this,” Kirby said in Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
The State Department advises Americans against traveling to Venezuela, warning that “there is a high risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals.”
At present, it is unclear why exactly the Sailor travelled to Venezuela. The Associated Press is reporting that anonymous sources within the Pentagon say that the Sailor wasn’t traveling in an official capacity, nor was there authorized leave given to visit Venezuela.
One of the officials said the sailor has been in Venezuelan custody since on or about Aug. 30.
“The U.S. Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not made public, referred to the State Department for an update on the sailors’ status.
One of the officials said the service member was neither on official travel nor did they have authorized leave to visit Venezuela.
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It seems highly likely that these two stories are related:
JUST IN: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s Airplane Seized By United States
The United States government has seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane in the Dominican Republic and flew it to Florida.
The U.S. Justice Department said its purchase violated U.S. sanctions, Reuters reports.
WATCH:
The United States government has seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/W1tOZsbsPS
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) September 2, 2024
Per CNN:
The plane has been described by officials as Venezuela’s equivalent to Air Force One and it has been pictured in previous state visits by Maduro around the world.
“This sends a message all the way up to the top,” one of the US officials told CNN. “Seizing the foreign head of state’s plane is unheard-of for criminal matters. We’re sending a clear message here that no one is above the law, no one is above the reach of US sanctions.”
ADVERTISEMENTIn a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that “the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies.”
The plane was purchased from a company in Florida, the Justice Department said, and was illegally exported in April 2023 from the United States to Venezuela through the Caribbean.
“Let this seizure send a clear message: aircraft illegally acquired from the United States for the benefit of sanctioned Venezuelan officials cannot just fly off into the sunset,” said Matthew Axelrod, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement, according to Reuters.
WATCH:
BREAKING: U.S. seizes Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane in the Dominican Republic, CNN. pic.twitter.com/s5aDMNlzwN
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) September 2, 2024
Reuters reports:
U.S. officials said the seizure, which was first reported by CNN, was carried out working closely with the Dominican Republic.
The Venezuelan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“This is an important step to ensure that Maduro continues to feel the consequences from his misgovernance of Venezuela,” said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.
You think it has anything to do with the fact he just STOLE his election?
BREAKING: Mass Uprising In Venezuela After Nicolás Maduro Steals Election; Airport Seized, Maduro To Be Executed Next?
A massive populist uprising is occurring right now in Venezuela after Socialist President Nicolás Maduro rigged and stole the election….and the people are NOT sitting idly by accepting the theft.
They’re going on offense.
The Bolivarian National Guard has disbayed Maduro’s orders and is joining the protestors as they march toward Maduro:
🚨BREAKING: The Bolivarian National Guard disobeys Nicolás Maduro's orders and joins the protesters marching towards Guarenas. pic.twitter.com/7xzifvNvkE
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) July 29, 2024
The Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela defies Nicolás Maduro's orders to suppress the protesters, and joins them in their march toward Guarenas. Change is coming. pic.twitter.com/M46nA18uZF
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 29, 2024
My friend Pepe Deluxe says this is exactly what will happen in America if they cheat here again, and I think he may be correct:
Exactly what would happen in America if they cheat again
— Pepe Deluxe 🐸 (@deluxe_pepe) July 29, 2024
In fact, did you know it’s actually written into our Declaration of Independence as an OBLIGATION?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, —That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
Check out the FRAUDULENT chart of votes coming in…..
Remind you of anything?
Protesters are tearing down statues of Hugo Chávez as supporters of opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez claim he won a "landslide victory" over communist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, who they say rigged the election.
Elon Musk, Nayib Bukele, and Marco Rubio have called the… pic.twitter.com/N1GRYUDlwv
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 29, 2024
From Charlie Kirk:
Protesters are tearing down statues of Hugo Chávez as supporters of opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez claim he won a “landslide victory” over communist dictator, Nicolás Maduro, who they say rigged the election. Elon Musk, Nayib Bukele, and Marco Rubio have called the results fraudulent and even Tony Blinken has said he has “serious concerns.” Maduro has activated the military to arrest protesters, but so far, it appears they’d have to arrest hundreds of thousands of people, a physical impossibility. It appears Maduro’s house of cards is about to collapse.
Everyone is turning on Maduro….
El Salvadorian President Buekele says he will NOT recognize Maduro’s FRAUDULENT government:
BREAKING: El Salvador President Nayib Buekele issues statement saying they will NOT recognize the fraudulent election results from Nicolás Maduro's socialist Venezuela
"What we saw yesterday in Venezuela has no other name than fraud. An “election” where the official result has… pic.twitter.com/ksMgh0SLh4
— George (@BehizyTweets) July 29, 2024
The people are no longer afraid….
They are emboldened!
Tearing down images of the dictator:
BREAKING: Venezuelans just tore down a giant banner of Socialist Dictator Nicolás Maduro. It looks like they no longer fear the authoritarian demons
This is amazing to see 🔥🔥🔥
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! Venezuela 🇻🇪
https://t.co/nlKB5RiMsJ— George (@BehizyTweets) July 29, 2024
The Military is turning on Maduro and siding with the people!
BREAKING: After hearing demands from protestors, a leader of a Venezuelan military unit withdrew his troops and allowed the protestors to continue
I pray that other military generals across the country do the same, and END socialist dictator Maduro
pic.twitter.com/C9dNgTyYe4— George (@BehizyTweets) July 29, 2024
The latest information as I type this is the airport has been taken over, to prevent Maduro from fleeing:
BREAKING: Venezuelan patriots have taken over control of the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía. This fight to end Nicolás Maduro and his socialism regime will go down in history
Keep fighting Venezuela, never stop
— George (@BehizyTweets) July 29, 2024
🚨🇻🇪THOUSANDS OF VENEZUELANS REPORTEDLY OCCUPY SIMON BOLIVAR AIRPORT IN MAIQUETIA
Venezuelans are reported to have taken over the Simon Bolivar International Airport amid ongoing frustration with the Maduro government.pic.twitter.com/xokZtGsNA5 https://t.co/TXx4LilNq3
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 29, 2024
They have also breached the barricade to his home:
🚨BREAKING: COUNTER FORCES IN VENEZUELA HAVE BREACHED THE BARRICADE TO THE HOME NICOLAS MADURO ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/9YLTix5lEr
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) July 29, 2024
What do you think happens next?
I think we’re about to witness a Revolution….and as I recall from my education in High School, any time a dictator was overthrown, they were also very commonly executed.
Beheaded?
Is that what comes next?
I don’t think they’re surrounding his house simply to come in and have a nice chat over some tea and crumpets.
Are we about to witness history?
Elon Musk summed it up perfectly here, I think:
Adios Dictatora Maduro https://t.co/79saJ8OSp4
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2024
Elon Musk also agreed with Pepe Deluxe when he posted this:
I think the risk of this is very real https://t.co/aCb3NNO3mp
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2024
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