Affected are employees of the Spanish agency EFE and the French station TF1.
In Venezuela, several foreign journalists have been arrested reporting protests against President Nicolas Maduro. Affected are employees of the Spanish news agency EFE and the French TV channel TF1.
Venezuelan EFE bureau chief Nelida Fernandez said that a Colombian-born photographer and his Venezuelan driver were arrested on Wednesday. This happened when the colleague reported on the demonstrations against the government. Several hours later, an EFE reporter from Spain and a TV producer from Colombia were arrested from their hotel by intelligence officers. Earlier, French diplomats reported that two French reporters had been arrested. These were journalists who had reported on a program of the broadcaster TF1 about the unrest in Venezuela. The French Embassy in Caracas is seeking a release. A few days ago, two reporters from Chile were arrested and deported.
In Venezuela, a power struggle raging between Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had proclaimed the interim president a week ago. Guaido is supported by the USA. As the Washington administration announced, Vice President Mike Pence plans to travel to Miami on Friday to promote Guaido to exile Venezuelans. It is unclear what backing Maduro’s challenger enjoys in the domestic army. “In order to facilitate a change of government, it is crucial that the military deprive Mr. Maduro of his support,” Guaido said in a post for The New York Times. The opposition has had secret meetings with members of the armed forces and security forces. The EU foreign ministers want to discuss today in Bucharest on the further course of action in the state crisis of Venezuela. The EU demanded new elections from Maduro.