Number of Americans detained in Venezuela has risen since US increased pressure on regime: Report

The number of Americans detained in Venezuela has increased since the United States launched its economic and military campaign against the country's regime in September, the New York Times reported Wednesday. 

The U.S. has targeted Venezuela in its crackdown on the flow of illicit drugs across the North American border, by destroying alleged Venezuelan drug boats. It has also imposed economic sanctions on the regime and seized multiple Venezuelan oil tankers.

An unidentified U.S. official told the outlet that some of the detainees face legitimate criminal charges, but the U.S. government is considering designating at least two other prisoners as wrongfully detained. Among those arrested are three Venezuelan-American dual passport holders and two American citizens with no known ties to Venezuela.

President Donald Trump has made releasing Americans who are being wrongfully detained overseas a high priority for his administration and has secured the release of many wrongfully imprisoned Americans so far, including 10 Americans detained in Venezuela.

The official said that Trump's move to add economic and military pressure to Venezuela has stalled the release of additional prisoners still detained in the Latin American country, and the number of Americans detained in Venezuela has been rising since Fall. However, the exact number of Americans being held in Venezuela was not clear.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.