Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Saturday his government had detained American citizens including a pilot on suspicion of espionage, in a move likely to strain already tense relations between Washington and Caracas.
Maduro also said his government would order a reduction in the number of staff at the United States embassy in Caracas and prohibit some U.S. officials from entering Venezuela in retaliation for a similar U.S. measure last year. Venezuela would also require U.S. citizens to obtain visas before visiting, he told a rally.
The Venezuelan president, long at odds with Washington, has renewed accusations in recent weeks that the United States is seeking to topple him.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.