New tensions between Washington and Caracas: The United States is investigating the arrest of a Navy soldier in Venezuela. What is known about the case?

The United States Navy is investigating the arrest of a Marine in Venezuela that was carried out a personal journeyaccording to sources from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who informed Efe on Wednesday Pentagon.

“We are aware of reports that a U.S. Navy Marine was detained on or about August 30, 2024 by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities while on personal travel to Venezuela,” Pentagon sources said.

The US Navy is investigating this and “working closely with the State Department,” they added.

Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have increased in recent days following the arrest warrant against the Venezuelan opposition standard-bearer, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

The United States said Tuesday that it is considering what further actions to take against the government of Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, to show him that all his political decisions have consequences.

Venezuela’s Attorney General’s Office on Monday asked a court specializing in terrorism crimes to issue an arrest warrant against González Urrutia, candidate of the largest opposition coalition, for his “alleged commission of crimes of usurpation of functions” and “forgery of public documents,” in relation to the electoral records of the July 28 presidential elections.

The request was made after the Prosecutor’s Office summoned González Urrutia on three occasions and the opponent decided not to appear, as he did not know in what capacity he should appear and did not acknowledge the crimes that the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) attributes to him.

Why have tensions between the United States and Venezuela increased?

The latest major action against the Venezuelan Executive was the seizure, on Monday, of Maduro’s official plane, which was taken in the Dominican Republic by order of the United States authoritieswithin the framework of the sanctions applied to Caracas.

According to Washington, the aircraft, which was transferred to Florida for having been “illegally purchased” for 13 million dollars, is a Dassault Falcon 900EX owned by Maduro and people affiliated with him in Venezuela, which was operated on his behalf.

The Venezuelan government announced after the seizure that it would reserve the right to take legal action to repair the damage and said in a statement that what happened was a “criminal practice.”

Last April, the United States partially reversed the easing of sanctions on Venezuelan oil and gas, accusing Maduro of failing to meet his electoral commitments by disqualifying opposition candidate María Corina Machado.