CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said authorities arrested two U.S. citizens among a group of “mercenaries” after a failed beach raid officials claimed was aimed at capturing capturing the socialist leader.
Maduro on Monday held up a pair of blue U.S. passports, reading off the names and birth dates on them in a nationwide broadcast on state television. He showed images of the fishing boats the alleged attackers rode in on and equipment like walkie-talkies and night-vision glasses that he said were collected in what Maduro called an “intense” couple of days.
He blamed the attacks on the Trump administration and neighboring Colombia, both of which have denied involvement.
“The United States government is fully and completely involved in this defeated raid,” Maduro said, praising members of a fishing village for cornering one group in the sweep netting the “professional American mercenaries.”
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Before dawn on Sunday, Venezuelan officials say the first attack started on a beach near Venezuela’s port city of La Guaira, when security forces made the first two arrests and killed eight others attempting to make a landing by speedboats.
The two U.S. citizens arrested Monday were identified by Venezuela officials as as Luke Denman and Airan Berry.
NBC News was not able to confirm any details about those held. U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment on the case.
Venezuela has been in a deepening political and economic crisis under Maduro’s rule. Crumbling public services such as running water, electricity and medical care have driven nearly 5 million to migrate. But Maduro still controls all levers of power despite a U.S.-led campaign to oust him. It recently indicted Maduro as a drug trafficker and offered a $15 million reward for his arrest.
Venezuela and the United States broke diplomatic ties last year amid heightened tensions, so there is no U.S. embassy in Caracas.
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Venezuelan state TV showed showed images of several unidentified men handcuffed and lying prone in a street. One video clip showed authorities handling a shirtless man in handcuffs.
He was identified as a Venezuelan National Guardsman Capt. Antonio Sequea, who participated in a barracks revolt against Maduro a year ago.
Opposition politicians issued statements suggesting Maduro’s allies had fabricated the assault to draw attention away from the country’s problems.