US Service Member Detained in Venezuela, Officials Say

American Citizen Held for Over Two Months Without Charge

Family Pleads for Release

A US service member has been detained in Venezuela for over two months without charge, officials said Monday. The family of the service member, who has not been identified, is pleading for his release.

The service member was detained on May 4 while on a trip to Venezuela to visit family, according to US officials. Venezuelan authorities have not provided any reason for the detention or charged the service member with any crime.

The family of the service member has been in contact with the US embassy in Caracas and is working to secure his release. They have also hired a lawyer in Venezuela to represent him.

The US government has called for the immediate release of the service member. "We are deeply concerned about the welfare of this American citizen and call on the Venezuelan government to release him immediately," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

The detention of the service member has strained relations between the US and Venezuela. The two countries have been at odds over a number of issues, including the US sanctions on Venezuela and the Venezuelan government's human rights record.

The detention of the service member is the latest in a series of incidents involving Americans being detained in Venezuela. In 2020, two American missionaries were detained in Venezuela for over a year before being released.

The US government has warned Americans against traveling to Venezuela due to the risk of detention. The State Department has also issued a travel advisory for Venezuela, warning that "US citizens traveling to Venezuela may be subject to arrest, detention, or expulsion without due process."