The newspaper El Progreso reported yesterday that 31 American citizens have been detained in the Gran Sabana region, near Santa Elena de Uairen at the Venezuela-Brazil border. The accusations of practicing medicine illegally allegedly led to their arrest. Regional media were informed by a supposedly reliable source.
The 31 American citizens are reportedly being kept incommunicado while awaiting presidential orders, according to the source. It is believed they may face charges of espionage or being part of the CIA.
The group consists of doctors, nurses, and religious leaders.
Update: sources in Venezuela have just confirmed to me that the 31 American citizens are not in jail, but the military has ‘requested’ they do not leave the complex where they were staying.