Venezuela demands compulsory visas for US citizens

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has announced the enforcement of a mandatory visa policy for all American citizens seeking to visit the country in a bid to “control” US meddling in its domestic affairs.

“In order to protect our country… I have decided to implement a system of compulsory visas for all Americans entering Venezuela,” said President Maduro in a Saturday announcement, which came after he ordered a review and reduction of American diplomatic personnel in the US Embassy in Caracas.

The development came after Maduro announced the defeat of a US-funded coup attempt against the country by five aviation officers earlier this month.

“We have broken up and foiled a coup attempt against democracy and the stability of our country,” said the Venezuelan president during a February 12 address in Caracas, adding that the Washington-directed plot would have seen an aerial attack on the presidential palace or another target.

More pressure on US

Maduro announced the capture of an American pilot with “Latino roots” that was allegedly involved in recruiting Venezuelans to take part in an anti-state coup plot.

According to CNN, the US pilot, who he did not identify, was arrested in the western Tachira state bordering Colombia over the past few days.

The right-wing Fox news network also cited a Venezuelan court warrant as stating that an order was issued for the pilot’s arrest and the confiscation of his plane.

It added that authorities suspected that the aircraft was being used to smuggle narcotics.

Caracas releases four US missionaries

Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities released on Saturday four American Christian missionaries from the state of North Dakota after they were detained and questioned for several days, press reports said, citing a pastor at their church.

According to the reports, lead pastor at Bethel Evangelical Free Church Bruce Dick announced the three men and one woman were released Saturday morning after being in custody since Wednesday.

This is while the US Embassy Press Director Glenn Guimond said the American missionaries boarded a plane out of Venezuela and would not be allowed back for two years.

It was not immediately clear why the missionaries had been detained with Dick saying he couldn’t comment until he spoke with them.

US coup in Venezuela

Maduro announced the defeat of a US-funded coup attempt against the country by five aviation officers earlier this month.

“We have broken up and foiled a coup attempt against democracy and the stability of our country,” said the Venezuelan president during a February 12 address in Caracas, adding that the Washington-directed plot would have seen an aerial attack on the presidential palace or another target.

Moreover, the opposition mayor of Caracas was indicted last week for what the government described as his role in a US-financed coup scheme to topple Maduro.

The arrest of the Caracas mayor prompted Washington, which recently imposed sanctions on a number of Venezuela officials, to dismiss the allegations as “ludicrous” and claim concerns over the tensions in the Latin American nation.

This is while White House spokesman Josh Earnest said that Washington was “closely monitoring this situation” in Caracas and “considering tools that may be available that can better steer the Venezuelan government in the direction that they believe they should be headed.”

Caracas has repeatedly stated that the opposition seeks to launch a coup d’état in the South American country with the backing of Washington.

Maduro said last December that he had “recordings” which reveal the US was seeking to corrupt Venezuelan government officials.

Caracas and Washington remain at odds since late Hugo Chavez became Venezuelan president in 1999. Both sides have refused to exchange ambassadors since 2010. The countries have chargé d’affaires running their respective embassies.