A US official who understands the issue said that some arrests may be related to drug smuggling. US officials are still collecting information about what Americans were doing in Venezuela at the time they were arrested.
US officials believe that President Nicolas Maduro's administration is detaining Americans to create leverage against the US, as the campaign to put pressure on the Venezuelan leader - including US attacks on drug ships, CIA attacks on a Venezuelan port facility and oil blockade - has escalated in recent months.
The New York Times is the first newspaper to report on the recently arrested Americans.
Officials of President Donald Trump's administration deny being actively seeking to change the regime in Venezuela, but accuse President Maduro of illegality and drug trafficking. The Washington administration has increased pressure on Mr. Maduro, including blocking sanctioned oil tankers and other financial tactics.
In December, the US State Department announced 2 rounds of sanctions against members of Mr. Maduro's family, targeting 3 grandsons, sisters-in-law and other relatives of the Venezuelan President.
Also in December, the US launched its first attack on a land target in Venezuela, hitting a port in a CIA drone attack.
Clearly, the current situation in Venezuela is unacceptable to the US" - Foreign Minister Marco Rubio said at a press conference in December, answering questions related to the White House Chief of Staff's statement that President Trump "wants to increase pressure until President Nicolas Maduro agrees to compromise".
According to human rights organizations, Venezuela is currently holding hundreds of political prisoners, including those arrested after the 2024 election - an election that President Nicolas Maduro declared victorious, but independent observers assessed as undemocratic.
Also according to human rights groups in Venezuela, dozens of people were released from a domestic prison on January 1. However, no US citizens were among those released, according to Alfredo Romero, head of the human rights organization Foro Penal.
