The Daily Populous Friday January 2nd, 2026 morning edition
Authored by cnn.com and submitted by cnn

Venezuelan security forces have detained at least five Americans in recent months as the US has built a pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a US official familiar with the matter told CNN.

The circumstances of the individual cases vary, and some could have been involved in drug smuggling, the official said. US officials are still collecting information about what the Americans were doing in Venezuela and at the time of their detention, the official added.

Trump administration officials believe that the Maduro regime is detaining the Americans to build leverage against the US, the official said, as the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader — including the US strikes on drug boats, a CIA strike on Venezuelan port facility and recent oil blockade — has intensified in recent months.

The tactic mirrors that of Russia, Venezuela’s longtime ally, which has detained numerous Americans on Russian soil in recent years to use as leverage in Moscow’s tense relations with the US.

The New York Times was first to report on the recently detained Americans.

The State Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Trump administration officials have resisted saying that they are actively seeking regime change in Venezuela but have accused Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker. The administration has been increasing pressure on Maduro, including the “blockade” of sanctioned oil vessels and other financial tactics.

In December the State Department announced two sets of sanctions against Maduro’s family members, targeting three of Maduro’s nephews, his sister-in-law and other relatives.

Also in December, the US conducted its first strike on a land target in Venezuela, hitting a port facility in a CIA drone strike, CNN reported.

“It is clear that the current status quo with the current Venezuelan regime is intolerable for the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a December press conference when asked about comments from the White House chief of staff that Trump “wants to keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.”

Asked Thursday about the attack on the Venezuelan port facility, Maduro said it “could be a topic we might discuss in a few days” and broadly sought to assure that Venezuela is safe.

“What I can tell you is that the national defense system, which combines the popular military and police forces, has guaranteed and continues to guarantee the territorial integrity, the peace of the country, and the use and enjoyment of all our territories,” Maduro said during an interview with Ignacio Ramonet, recorded on Wednesday and broadcast Thursday by the state-run channel VTV. “Our people are safe and at peace.”

Venezuela holds hundreds of people as political prisoners, according to human rights activists, some of whom were detained in the aftermath of a 2024 election in which Maduro claimed victory but that independent observers said was undemocratic.

Dozens of people were released from a Venezuelan prison on Thursday, Venezuelan rights groups said.

None of them are American, according to Alfredo Romero, the head of rights group Foro Penal.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Michael Rios contributed to this report.

Mysterious-Coconut24 on January 2nd, 2026 at 03:01 UTC »

Wtf at this point is dumb enough to visit Russia, Iran, and Venezuela?? How many more Britney Griners and others political prisoners need to be created before people learn?

Iyellkhan on January 1st, 2026 at 23:40 UTC »

While Venezuela obviously will need to respond to what the US is doing, detaining Americans is probably one of the fastest ways to make the American public actually down with military action.

cnn on January 1st, 2026 at 22:52 UTC »

Venezuelan security forces have detained at least five Americans in recent months as the US has built a pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a US official familiar with the matter told CNN.

The circumstances of the individual cases vary, and some could have been involved in drug smuggling, the official said. US officials are still collecting information about what the Americans were doing in Venezuela and at the time of their detention, the official added.

Trump administration officials believe that the Maduro regime is detaining the Americans to build leverage against the US, the official said, as the pressure campaign against the Venezuelan leader — including the US strikes on drug boats, a CIA strike on Venezuelan port facility and recent oil blockade — has intensified in recent months.

The tactic mirrors that of Russia, Venezuela’s longtime ally, which has detained numerous Americans on Russian soil in recent years to use as leverage in Moscow’s tense relations with the US.

The State Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Trump administration officials have resisted saying that they are actively seeking regime change in Venezuela but have accused Maduro of being illegitimate and a narco-trafficker. The administration has been increasing pressure on Maduro, including the “blockade” of sanctioned oil vessels and other financial tactics.

In December the State Department announced two sets of sanctions against Maduro’s family members, targeting three of Maduro’s nephews, his sister-in-law and other relatives.

Also in December, the US conducted its first strike on a land target in Venezuela, hitting a port facility in a CIA drone strike, CNN reported.