Three Ukrainians are among seven alleged mercenaries arrested in Venezuela, leader Maduro says

Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro announced on state television on 7 January the arrest of seven foreigners whom he accused of being "mercenaries", allegedly trying to prevent him from taking the presidential oath. Source: Radio Liberty Details: Maduro claimed that among those detained are two Americans, two Colombian "hitmen", and three "mercenaries from the war in Ukraine" who, according to him, were involved in planning "terrorist acts" ahead of his inauguration scheduled for 10 January.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on whether any Ukrainian citizens are among those detained in Venezuela.

Reports of the arrests, including that of the Americans, emerged just hours after US President Joe Biden hosted exiled Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in the United States. Background:

• Venezuela's Electoral Council officially declared Nicolas Maduro the winner of the elections held on 28 July. Maduro has been in power since 2013.

  However, the opposition claims that their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won the election based on approximately 90% of the vote count.

• Following the elections, Gonzalez's supporters took to the streets in protest, leading to crackdowns by security forces and pro-government armed groups.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States recognises Gonzalez as the rightful winner of the elections.

  Meanwhile, several European countries and others called on Venezuela to publish the full election results.

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